Gohan: The Untold Story
by Wilmi
Summary: Gohan dies in the Cell Games after he sacrificed his own life to save the earth from the horrible Cell,leaving his friends, family and twin sister, Gomih, behind, but instead of dying normally, he gets reqruited by the Magisterial Kai's army of protectors. How things should have happend after the Cell Games.. Enjoy! :D *Partially inspired by Revu's ZAT*
1. Prologue: Memories

_**GOHAN: THE UNTOLD STORY**_

PROLOGUE: Memories

I remember myself being a small boy, not yet four years old; weak and scared in the clutches of my so called uncle. Being tossed around and treated like a punching bag for nearly two hours; and feeling so relieved when my daddy finally arrives to save me. But _that_ feeling doesn't last long. I see my dad being beaten up to a pulp, lying on the ground, while that vile man stands over him, crushing his ribs. I hear my dad's agonizing scream. He is clearly in so much pain, but I can't do anything. The feeling of powerlessness is so overwhelming; too much for a three year old to withstand.

I look into my father's eyes; I see how those big kind eyes fill with tears. I see my dad, my hero; the strongest man in the universe, cry and beg for my life.

Not _his_ life. _Mine._

I feel rage filling every fragment of my body, and power, oh so much power, gathering in my fists. Then nothing... Sort of like a blackout...

Then I was drowning; trying to stay afloat and gasping drastically for air. A strong hand grabbed the back of my shirt and flung me towards land. Dazed I stood on my two feet asking for my father. But instead I got my dad's arch nemeses, the evil Demon King Piccolo, towering over me.

He told me the news I was dreading. "Your dad is dead." He said without any trace of emotion on his green face. The words churned over in my mind, they didn't sound plausable. My father, dead?

I didn't understand the statement at first; I thought it was just a joke, like those I have seen on many prank shows. But my dad did not jump out from behind a bush yelling "Gotcha!"

I cannot describe the feeling of emptiness that filled my tiny, three-and-a-half year old, body.

I cried, but instead of a sympathetic pat on the back, I got slapped through my face. I was told that it was weak to show any emotion besides confidence. I swallowed back my tears, not wanting to get hurt again, but a few dropps still escaped. I looked down so he wouldn't notice.

He started blabbering on about Saiyans and locked potential, but I didn't listen; quite frankly, I didn't care. He grabbed my attention again when he said my father was going to be revived in a year's time. I got excited; my eyes lit up. In one year I was going to see my father, and we could be a family again. I wanted to go home, running to my mother; wanting to tell her about what happened today.

But I realized that that wasn't going to happen anytime soon...

I was left in the wilderness to fend for myself; alone. I learned the hard way about this cruel world; about how the weak has to die for the strong to thrive. I managed; and six months later Mister Piccolo officially made me his pupil. To say it was brutal, is an understatement. But his methods worked; I was moulded into a promising young warrior, my power at age four-and-a-half rivalling that of most of earth's Z-fighters...

My power grew far greater than he or I had expected, not nearly as powerful as Piccolo's, but still very impressive for a kid. I smiled. I don't think Piccolo realized this at the time, but we became friends. Good friends. I knew from the start that Piccolo wasn't evil.

We trained and trained until one day...

Two massive ki's appeared out of nowhere, not too far from our location. I have never felt powers like that before; pure evil. I shuddered. They demolished an entire city in the blink of an eye and were headed in our direction. I was scared.

Krillen, Tien, Yamcha and Chaitsu joined our little army, strong and determined after their training on Kami's lookout. But I had this feeling; I can't explain it, but I knew something bad was going to happen.

Shortly after the arrival of the gang, _they_ appeared. They casually floated down to the landscape, as if they weren't planning on destroying our planet, just here for a chat and a cup of tea.

One of the men was big, bulky and bald. He wore strong armour on his upperbody, but just some weird kind of underwear, that didn't leave much for the imagination, on his lower body. The other one was short and lean with very big and eccentric hair, kind of resembling a pineapple. They both had tails like I had. Their fuzzy ends curled securely around their waists.

To the naked eye they didn't seem that much of a threat, but their power levels were astonishing. Even the ever confident Piccolo looked worried.

At first they didn't battle us directly. The bald one, apparently Nappa, grew some strange looking green aliens, by dripping some liqued goo held in a scientific tube on the ground. I was baffled when they started to grow like lima-beans from the ground, tossing away the knowledge I have obtained about science thus far.

Yamcha was brave enough to take on the first alien, by himself. He didn't pay much attention to the fight; he was too busy pulling funny faces at us and claiming that the fight was too easy for a high-class fighter as himself. The alien took advantage of that and self-destructed on him, when he had his back turned, catching the Z-warrior completely by surprise. He was dead on impact. His cockiness and overconfidence lead to his death.

That was the first death I have ever witnessed. From afar it looked as if he were in a peaceful slumber, but when I got a closer look, I saw he was definately deceased. There was blood everywhere, gushing out of his limbs, eyes, ears and nose; dripping to the ground, creating a daunting puddle. His clothes had burned into his flesh and at some parts of his body, like both his legs, bones were sticking out.

It. Was. Gruesome.

I wanted to vomit and hurl my lungs out, but I was too afraid to make a move or sound.

In what kind of world do we live in, that a child, a mere toddler, is exposed to this level of violence?

I flinched when Krillen snapped abruptly next to me. It was so sudden. He started powering up like mad. He released a magnitude of blasts at the creatures, vaporizing all of them in seconds. I was surprised. I didn't expect such power from him.

Unfortunately he missed one. It rushed directly towards me. I was stunned. I didn't know what to do. I was shaking; terrified. I braced myself for a hit that never came. I opened my eyes to see Piccolo blasting the creature to oblivion. I smiled, thanking him; he just looked down at me with a grimace, disappointment apparent in his features.

I felt _so_small.

All the creatures were destroyed now, leaving only the two Saiyans for battle. I expected the pineapple-haired warrior to fight first, but I was surprised to see that the large one stepped closer. It seemed like the small one was the leader; maybe even more powerful. Good things come in small packages I guess.

Nappa was really strong. He killed Chaitsu and Tien like they were little insects ready to be squished and Krillen was rendered immobile after just one of his kicks.

I swallowed my fear and attacked him with all my might, not wanting to disappoint my mentor again. It actually did some damage, and he flew straight into a nearby mountain. I got my hopes up, thinking I ended him, but he emerged in a matter of seconds, charging his power and sending a ferocious blast my way. I froze. I knew that I was going to die.

I was surprised to see that Piccolo was rushing towards me, screaming my name. I was glad I made a friend like him, I thought.

He planted himself in front of me. My eyes widened. The blast connected with Piccolo's body, consuming him. Not a single spark landed on me though. The smoke cleared and Piccolo was still miraculously standing. But I spoke to soon; he fell to the ground, face first, breathing hard.

I raced to his side, trying to help him. But it was all in vain. He told me that I taught him about what it truly means to have someone who cares about you. He said that I was the first and only person to ever care about him, I was like a son to him he claimed. He died in my arms. My best friend died in my arms.

I have never felt despair like _that_before, not even when I heard about my dad's death. I lost it, rage filled my entire body and I started charging my energy, energy I didn't even know I had.

I don't know what happened, darkness descended once again as I lost myself in rage. When I came to, I saw my dad, standing protectively in front of me. I didn't recognize him at first. Sure he looked the same, but there was something different in his attitude, in his aura, but I couldn't put my finger on it. It was as if he had more confidence than ever before.

I saw his eyes scanning the battlefield. He flinched with every dead body his eyes rested upon. He gave Krillen and I each a sensu bean to restore our energy.

He walked bravely towards Nappa. My heart stopped, _I need to warn him!_Was all that went through my mind, but my energy-levels were dangerously low after my outburst. I watched helpless as he walked over to Nappa, staring up at him, straight in his beady eyes; his confidence never faltered. One punch later, that was so quick, that my eyes didn't even register the motion, Nappa was doubled over, gasping for air. My mouth fell open as Dad beat Nappa, the person that we thought was untouchable, to a pulp in no more than two minutes.

Nappa fell defeated to Vegeta's feet. Vegeta was disgusted with his partner's weakness and killed him on the spot. He was a beast. If he can do that to his own comrade, just image what he will do to us!

Dad instructed us to go home as he readied himself for his biggest battle yet. We begrudegingly agreed after some protest and flew in the opposite direction. But we didn't get far. I couldn't leave my dad alone with _that_ monster.

Dad wasn't doing so great when we arrived at the scene. Vegeta had somehow transformed into a gigantic gorilla and was crushing the life out of my father. His yells echoed off the mountains; but he still didn't care for his own life. He was shouting at me to run, but I was done running. My fears lead to the death of a close friend, and I am not going to make the same mistake with my father!

I distracted Vegeta while Krillen was charging one of his techniques. It did not work, Vegeta saw right through out little scheme; and yet again, Krillen was rendered useless after one punch. The beast let go of my father, but was heading towards me instead. I couldn't help but whimper, but I remembered what Piccolo once told me about weakness. I swallowed my fear and got into a fighting stance; but to my surprise, Vegeta was turning back in his normal form.

I got a little hope; maybe we can win this after all.

Vegeta raced to my side, so fast I didn't even see the motion. He punched me over and over and over. The pain was mind boggling, but after a while I didn't feel it anymore and I was tossed to where my father lay like a ragdoll. I didn't care about the pain; my father lay just a few inches away from me. I was happy. Dad told me that he loved me and how proud he was of me. I smiled; I haven't heard him say that in such a long time. But that sweet moment was cut short by Vegeta.

I could hear how my dad's bones were being shattered under Vegeta's knee. His face twisted in agony and he uttered a silent scream. My heart broke. I just got my father back and this monster wants to take him away from me again?!

I don't know where I got the energy; but in a flash _I_was the one punching and kicking Vegeta so hard that he fell to the ground, squirming and gasping as the pain settled in his body. But as fast as the power came, it vanished, like an explosion. The tables turned yet again, and I was beaten to a pulp by Vegeta; then I saw it: a giant ball of pure energy heading straight toward me.

I instinctively threw my hands out in front of me; trying to send the energy in the opposite direction, but that seemed unlikely. The ball had more power than I had, but I had to try at least. To my surprise, it worked and the energy ball was headed towards Vegeta, it collided with him and he was sent into space. After a few minutes he fell to the ground, severely damaged.

We thought he was dead. But our happiness was short-lived; he opened his eyes with a start and walked menacingly towards us. My dad ordered me to stare at a gleaming sun-like thing in the sky. I did as he said and started to feel strange. My heart was beating like crazy in my chest and for some reason I couldn't look away. The glowing star seized my attention. Then I blacked out again.

I awoke in the hospital, covered in bandages. My mother was standing over me with tear soaked cheeks. When she saw that I was awake, she hugged me so tight I couldn't breathe. But I felt so comforted with her love and warmness I almost cried.

I realized the room was filled with people, some who I recongnised and some who I have never seen before in my life. They are probably all just here for my dad; the only person who came for me was my mom, how sad.

I was relieved to see that my dad and Krillen were still alive. I asked Krillen if Vegeta was dead; he glumly shook his head. Apparently Dad let him go as an act of mercy, he just had to apologize.

I sighed, Dad will never change.

I learned that I was apparently the one who defeated Vegeta; I turned into a massive gorilla, like he did before, and stomped the crap out of him, he cut of my tail and I, as the 3000 pound monkey, fell on top of him, crushing him. I felt proud of myself, even though my furry alter ego was the hero.

Krillen, Dad and I stayed weeks in the hospital, our bodies taking their dear time to recover.

A creepy-looking genie visited us in our third week of this purgatory. He claimed that there was a way to revive all our friends that were lost in the battle; there was this spaceship which can transport us to a planet Namek, the planet where the Dragonballs originated from. Being that our Dragonballs disappeared when Piccolo died.

I was excited; that means that Piccolo could be saved! Bulma, one of my Dad's childhood friends, volunteered to repair the spacecraft because she wanted to have Yamcha, her boyfriend at the time, back in her embrace. It took her only two weeks to figure out the complicated machinery; she was a genius.

Krillen and I got released and after lots of begging and compromises, Mom allowed me to accompany them to Namek; after all, it was my fault that Piccolo died.

Mom forced me to get a terrible potty cut hairstyle though... I cringe at the thought of that mop.

Our journey from Earth to Namek lasted almost a year. We had to go through tons of obstacles to reach our true destination. First we encountered another spaceship, with a crew of only kids. Their planet was destroyed by an evil entity named Frieza; their parents sacrificed themselves so their children could escape safely. We helped them by giving them coordinates to a safe location; so they wouldn't roam space aimlessly for the rest of their existence.

After a few more months we finally reached Namek, or so we thought. We were tricked by two ghastly shape shifters on a desert-like planet, but we quickly put a stop to their devious schemes and escaped Scott free.

Finally, after two weeks, we arrived at the _real_planet Namek. I was surprised to learn that it wasn't that much different than earth: the sky was green and the grass blue. I found that laughable.

We found shelter in a cave and Bulma made herself properly at home.

Krillen and I went to work immediately. We got the dragon radar from Bulma, and were pleased to find out that five out of the seven Dragonballs were all together. We decided to get them first. We flew to that location, but when we got there we saw that the town had been destroyed. We hid behind some trees and learned that the villain, in a floating chair, was called Frieza; the tyrant who destroyed those kid's home planet.

We lowered our power levels so we would be undetectable; they also had those blasted scouters Vegeta and Nappa had.

Frieza tormented the chief of the village for the drangonball, but he wouldn't budge; he refused to give it to Frieza. Frieza ordered one of his minions, a big pink blob, to kill his children. The chief immediately gave the ball to Frieza, not wanting harm to go to his children.

But that didn't stop Frieza; he gave orders, to the pink blob, to kill the chief, in cold blood, snapping his neck. He turned around smiling at the children, not a hint of humour in his ugly face. He blasted a beam at one of them, killing him instantly.

I lost control.

I couldn't allow him to hurt that poor innocent little Namekian. Ignoring Krillen's pleas, I flew from our hiding spot with incredible speed and kicked that pink monster across the face, grabbed the Namekian and flew in the opposite direction, followed by Krillen. He was angry with me, for compromising ourselves like that for someone we didn't even know, but I didn't care. After some effort and one of Tien's techniques, the Solar Flare, we managed to escape.

Dende, the little Namekian we saved, told us everything. The evil tyrant, Frieza, heard about the Dragonballs through the scouters from earth and wanted to use them for his own selfish reasons and wish for immortality.

I cringed. We were partially responsible for this...

This encouraged me. I am going to do anything humanly possible to end the sufferings of these kinfd green folks.

A lot of things happened on Namek: we met the Namekian Elder, Guru, who unlocked Krillen and my potential; we tricked Vegeta and then teamed up with him, never thought that I would say that... We encountered Frieza's flamboyant elite fighting squad and they were picking us apart; except for Guldo, a three-eyed time stopping creep, Vegeta beheaded him just before he could kill us. Who would have ever thought that Vegeta, the man that tried to end our existences just a year earlier, would save our butts?

My dad arrived on the planet shortly after. He was stronger than ever; the Ginyu Force were inferior to his newfound power. Every member of the force were wiped out, except for Captain Ginyu, who became a frog when his own body-swapping technique was used against him!

All the Dragonball were in our possession now. We used two wishes to bring Piccolo back to life and transport him to the planet. The four of us, Piccolo, Vegeta, Krillen and I, pawned Frieza in his first three transformations, each one more ugly than the next, but had trouble to conquer his fourth and final transformation.

Dad, like he always does, arrived just in time to save our necks yet again. He fought with the tyrant for a while, it seemed like they were equally matched and Vegeta claimed that Dad was the Legendary Super Saiyan Frieza was deathly afraid of, the reason he wiped out the entire Saiyan race... His observation was the cause to his death; Frieza pierced the Saiyan prince's heart with his death beam.

Dad buried Vegeta before he continued his fight with that monster. At one point Dad delivered a devistating combination of blows to Frieza, which embedded him inside the planet. We thought for a moment that he was dead, but that was not the case. He made his grand reappearance by piercing Piccolo's heart, in the same fashion than Vegeta, but he was still miraciously alive.

But Krillen wasn't as lucky. Frieza used his ki to shoot the bald man into the sky and ultimately made him explode.

Dad transformed into the Super Saiyan just after Krillen's murder; his hair and aura were bright gold and his usual chocolate brown eyes turned teal.

He and Frieza embarked on a battle on the exploding planet, and of course, being Goku, he ordered me to evacuate the planet with the remaining survivors. But me being me, couldn't just leave him there, I returned to the battle scene, after I made sure Piccolo and Bulma were safely situated in our spaceship. Motivated that I could save my dad for once, not the other way around. My instincts were correct and I fought Frieza once again, but failed dramatically.

Dad saved my butt once again and I was teleported to earth via the earth's Dragonballs, leaving my father alone on the dying planet...

Another year of agony went by, not knowing if my father was alive or not.

Dad returned and the same day of his arrival, we met a mysterious man, Trunks, who claimed to be from the future. And of course Dad barely greeted me before we started training again; this was becoming a tragic habid of his...

The Saiyan from the future warned us about the Androids, future villain that were going to attack us in three years time. And we had to prepare, so I was robbed of another three years of my life. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy training and getting stronger, but as a six year old, I just wanted a normal childhood with a normal dad who was there for me every time I needed him, not just on yearly intervals. But I couldn't complain; at least I was spending some time with him again.

Three years went by in a flash and we met the androids...

Vegeta also unlocked the secrets of a Super Saiyan and baffled us all with his newfound strength when he fought Android 19 and 20.

Dad got a heart virus, just as Trunks predicted and fell down in his battle with one of the androids. Thank goodness the boy from the future gave us a cure for it. He was hurried home immediatly.

After about two weeks Dad was on his feet again, but we had a new threat: Cell, also an android, but one that was not mentioned in Trunks' timeline.

He was so powerful that Dad suggested we use the Hyperbolic time chamber to get stronger. We trained for a day in the special room, which was approximately a year in the chamber. I also became a Super Saiyan in there, the youngest thus far.

We learned that Cell was still at large and more powerful than ever as we got out. Who knew so much horror can happen in one day? He apparently absorbed android 17 _and_ 18 due to an arrogant Vegeta, and was now hosting a tacky tournament called the Cell Games, where he challenged all earth's greatest warriors to a fight to save our planet. And this is where I am now.

_I am Gohan. And this is my story..._


	2. Chapter 1: The Battle Begins

**CHAPTER ONE: THE BATTLE BEGINS**

Okay Gohan you can do this. Dad has a lot of faith in you; you cannot let him down, again... The fate of the whole world is resting on your shoulders... No pressure...

Well, at least Dad did quite a lot of damage on Cell in their battle, I noted as I saw Cell with countless bruises and slices on his body while breathing heavily as he floated in the air, staring me down. I could use that to my advantage!

A glimmer of hope settled in my stomach, chasing the nervousness and doubt away. Maybe I can beat this overgrown grasshopper after all.

My mind reached out to where Cell was standing. I compared my ki to his and smiled confidently. We weren't that much apart, he is still a tad bit stronger than me but if I just strategise correctly, I can win. I really can do this! I can really beat...

"Cell!" My father was trying to get Cell's attention. "Here, catch!" He shouted and threw a bean with lighting speed at Cell. Cell caught it between his fingers and stared at it confusingly. The z-warriors wore horror-stricken expressions on their faces. "It's a sensu bean, eat it." He explained. My eyes widened in horror.

Wait! What is Dad doing?! I panicked. Is he seriously giving Cell a sensu bean? I felt my last glimmer of hope in winning this tournament disappear, as if it was turd being flushed down the toilet...

What is he thinking?! Does he want me to die?! I know I have let him down in the past, b... But allowing your son, your own flesh and blood, to be killed by a tyrannous villain? My mind went crazy. My brain was buzzing like a disoriented colony of bees, trying to find a logical explanation for my dad's illogical actions.

Maybe he has a plan; he has to have a plan! I contradicted my negativity. Maybe he wants me to serve as a distraction, bait if you will; so when Cell's attention is entirely focused on me, he will go in for the kill. Yeah! That must be it! Phew. I must just play along with this charade and it will be over before I know it!

I loosened my body and took a deep breath. _Let's do this!_

I released my power; not allowing Cell to have the first move. I smiled as I felt the familiar and warm feeling of my ki, pulsing vividly through my body. The earth shook a bit and a few pieces of debris were held in the air around my body as my power was uttered. I chuckled softly as I saw Cell and my other friend's shocked faces as they felt my strong power, a power even stronger than Dad's!

I am going to show Cell exactly what I am made of...

**... _**

"Playtime is over children." Cell exclaimed in a cheerful voice. "You can kill them now."

"Noooo!" I shouted and clenched my fists. Tears were streaming down my face freely now. I closed my eyes in despair. _If only I were stronger!_ I tried locating the vault of my hidden powers, but I just couldn't reach it. I was mortified; if I don't tap into my powers soon, Cell is going to kill them all!

"Hurry up now." Cell's impatient screech interrupted my thoughts. "First one, who kills one of those pests, wins a prize." He exclaimed happily.

I flinched. How dare Cell treat their lives as a game! "Stop it!" I yelled at the grasshopper and aimed a punch at him. Cell easily dodged it and kneed me in the stomach. I doubled over in pain, gasping for air.

"Why... are you doing... this?!" I managed to stutter out through my gasps. "Just kill me and get it over with."

Cell scoffed. "Where's the fun in that?" He laughed. "Don't worry boy, your death will come soon enough; just unleash your hidden powers and you can pretend that this was all just a bad dream..."

Krillen's body fell lifeless to the ground; his ki was dangerously low. One of the Cell junior's kept kicking him in his side and I flinched with every blow connecting with his mangled body. A few tears flowed down my cheeks; I closed my eyes. "Krillen, I'm so sorry." I whispered.

Only Vegeta, Trunks and Piccolo were still able to defend themselves; not even my dad could keep up anymore: he was being kicked back and forth like a ragdoll.

Yamcha, Tien and Krillen were all lying on the ground, facedown; unconscious.

Why did you do this Dad, why did you count on me so much? If you are so sure I have these powers, tell me how to bring it out. I want to help. I want to save you Dad. B...but I can't; I don't know how. I am too afraid to do this alone. I am just a child! I am still supposed to watch cartoons and play games; not defend the earth. I...

"Gohan." I opened my eyes. I was surprised to see one of the remaining androids' head in front of me.

"S...Sixteen?" I stuttered confused.

"Gohan, let it go." He said in a gentle voice. "It is not a sin to fight for the right cause. There are those, who words alone, will not reach. Cell is such a being. I know how you feel Gohan." He smiled at me. "You are gentle; you do not like to hurt; I know, because I have also learned these feelings. It is because you cherish life, that you must protect it."

"Ugh." Cell scoffed in disgust. "This sentimental crap is killing me. It is very nice of you to help Sixteen, but I plan on doing this my way."

Sixteen's smile grew more sincere. "Please, drop your restraints. Protect the life I learned to love. You have the strength, my scanners sensed it. Just, let it go."

Cell stepped closer and crushed Sixteen's head. Mechanical parts and some blood flew in the air, some landing on my clothes. My mouth fell open in shock and despair. How can someone be so cruel?!

"Yet another fighter you could have saved." Cell stated smugly.

I stared at the bits and pieces, once belonging to Sixteen, longingly. His final words bounced wildly around in my skull.

Sixteen, you loved life; you gave everything up to save it, and you were just an android! I let you die! I can't do this; I can't watch anymore.

_No!_ I have been letting people down my whole life! Flashbacks of the fights with Vegeta, Nappa, the Ginyu Force, Frieza and Garlic Junior raced through my mind. How many times have I let my friends down when they were counting on me? How many of my friends got hurt or, I cringed, _died_because I was too weak or too scared to help them?

I frowned in despair. If only I were stronger! If only I could have done more! Whenever I get in trouble, every time I am in over my head and I don't think that I am going to make it, Dad, Krillen, Piccolo; one of my friends is always there to bail me out! But when the situation is in reverse, I just stand there like a little helpless child.

_Dad_, you have always been able to do anything you set your mind to. I envy you for that. There was never a challenge you couldn't meet. I sighed sadly. But Dad, I am not like you. I am so sorry. I just don't think I have what it takes. _No! I have to be strong!_If I can't do this, Dad, Piccolo, Everyone! I am going to lose them all!

I...I feel it slipping. _I won't watch this anymore!_The vault opened and I tapped into my hidden power; releasing every fragment of it...

**..._**

"You aren't a child, you are a monster!" Cell exclaimed as he looked at me with terrified eyes.

"A monster, huh?" I sneered. "What's wrong Cell? Isn't this what you wanted? I warned you! I told you what would happen if you pushed me too far, but you didn't listen! You forced me to awaken my hidden power, and now you cower in fear. You have no one to blame but yourself. After all, you unleashed this so called monster, and now you are afraid because you know that I am going to destroy you!"

"Noooo!" Cell stammered. "I am the ultimate fighter, I have no equal! No one can destroy me, NO ONE!"

I rolled my eyes at him. "Don't you have another speech yet?"

He growled. "I am tired of playing these childish games!" He yelled and created two destructo disks in his hands. He flung both of them at me simultaneously.

I shook my hed slowly. _Pathetic._

I caught the disks without struggle in my own grasp and neutralized them with my ki easily.

Cell's eyes widened. "You little fool, I will show you what true power is!" He continued yelling arrogantly. "Special Beam Cannon!" He started laughing confidently. "Now what will you do?"

"Watch and learn; but in your case, just watch." I retorted and swept the blast effortlessly away with one hand.

He still was not giving up. "Rapid fire!" He yelled and fired thousands of mini blasts at me.

I didn't feel the need to dodge this poor attempt of an attack. My ki swallowed Cell's blasts, neutralizing them without effort, leaving him stunned. He actually shook out of fear as I walked towards him.

Cell blasted into the sky, not allowing me to get any closer. He gathered energy for a Kamehameha wave. "I will not be humiliated by a child!" He screamed at me "It is time for you to learn some respect." He laughed. "Here you go! Let's see you try and stop this. I am going to blow up the earth, and there is nothing you can do!"

I shook my head and sighed in annoyance; such a cowardly attack.

"Gohan get out of there, he's gonna do it!" Krillen suddenly panicked as he recognized Cell's stance.

I frowned in disbelief at my bald friend. _Seriously?_ They are still doubting my power after all the have witnessed _and_ felt during this battle. _Wow._

I ignored his plea and stood there motionless as Cell launched the blast down towards me. My friends were freaking out hard-core by now; I can't believe they think that I cannot handle this puny blast.

I started charging my own Kamehameha wave under my breath as Cell's one neared. Just before his blast could connect with the earth, I launched mine. Cell was left powerless as my blast consumed his, and was heading straight in his direction.

"No! I can't stop it" he yelled and the blast collided with his body. I never took my eyes off him. When the smoked cleared Cell was barely alive: his left leg and arm were completely disintegrated and there was not much left of his head. I smiled, finding his damaged state amusing. _Oh how the tables have turned,_I snickered.

"Gohan!" My dad yelled. I turned my head to face him, annoyance clearly printed on my face. "You got to take Cell down right now, before he regenerates!" He instructed sternly.

"Take him down now?" I repeated, irritated. Hmmmm, nope I don't like the sound of that. I glared at my father, my eyes filled with hatred. I could see him flinch as his eyes connected with mine. A devious smile spread across my lips. "No." I turned my head towards Cell. "I think I'll wait. I am going to let him suffer for a little while."

"Gohan, listen to me!" My dad yelled again. "You got to finish him, do it now!"

Whatever.

"We all know you have the power, it is time to use it!" I ignored his pleas and turned my attention to Cell again; waiting for him to regenerate.

"If you won't finish him, I will!" Dad threatened.

I had enough of this. I flashed to my dad's side, rendering all the z-fighters speechless with my current speed. "Excuse me, what did you say?" I asked my dad politely. "I don't think I heard it right."

"You have to kill Cell _now_before he regenerates, remember, he shares some of Piccolo's DNA." He stated with ernst. Piccolo grumbled something incoherently as my dad said that.

"Oh, I did hear right. And no, I am not going to do that." I stated emotionless. Dad looked a bit shocked at my refusal.

He frowned angrily. "Gohan, I am your father and you will do as I say!" He instructed.

_That _made me livid.

"So you are saying that I am obligated, no, _forced_, to do everything you wish because you are my father?" I sneered disdainfully.

Dad was shocked; he was not used to me talking disrespectful to him. "Son, I..." He started.

"No! You lost the right to call me your son when you tossed me into _this_ fight, completely alone, like a piece of rotten meat! Your own _son_!? I am used to being abandoned by you, but this?!"

I flew up so I could look directly into his eyes. "You made this _my _fight." I stated maliciously. "And you are going to let _me_ finish it." I grabbed him by his shirt; fright apparent in his eyes. "Or I am going to finish _you_." I threatened slowly. "Remember who the strongest one now is." I tossed him to the ground to prove my point. All the z-fighters gasped behind me. His stunned eyes followed me as I returned to the battlefield.

Cell was just done regenerating as I returned and was shaking with rage. "You little insect, you have made a fool out of me!" He yelled and began powering up. The earth shook as Cell doubled in size. I yawned, bored by his useless efforts.

"Now I will be the one who destroys you!" Cell yelled. He tried to land a punch on me, but he was _way_too slow; he may have gained a magnitude of power, but his speed decreased harshly.

I dodged his attempts effortlessly. He was no match for my speed. All his efforts were in vain.

I kicked Cell across his face and punched him in the stomach in one swift movement. Cell doubled over and clutched his stomach in pain. He fell to the ground, coughing up blood. I smiled, seeing Cell like this made me happy. He started to get sick and regurgitated 18. He was not in his perfect state anymore!

"You, w... what have you done?! I was perfect! You ruined everything you brat! My power, gone..." Cell whispered.

"I warned you." I stated simply in a mocked tone.

"ARRRGH!" Cell tried to land a punch on me again, but his speed has decreased even more than before; I dodged every blow. I jumped back a few metres, to get momentum, and rushed forward, head butting him in his chest. He skidded several metres away on his stomach. His arms were shaking as he tried to get on his feet again.

I took a few menacing steps toward Cell.

"N... Noo! Don't! Stay away from me!" Cell whimpered. He tried backing away, but stumbled over his own feet, and came crashing to the ground again, on his butt. He didn't try to get up this time. I looked at his pathetic figure as I stomped on his hand, crushing it.

"Give up" I instructed.

"Never" he yelled and tried to lift himself. I watched him get to his knees and kicked him back down. He let out a frustrated cry. "I will kill you, boy, I swear I will!"

I laughed without a trace of humour in my voice. "Oh really, Cell? Aren't we past the empty threat stage yet?"

"Nooooooo! I am perfect! Doctor Gero designed me to be indestructible. I am not going to be defeated by a lowlife like you. I will not allow it!" Cell began powering up again. "If I'm going down I'm taking you, _and this pathetic planet_, with me!" Cell grew bigger in size as he unleashed more power. I sighed, not this again.

"Oeh, I am really scared." I mocked in a baby-ish voice.

"Hahaha! I'm not joking boy!" He laughed. "I'm going to destroy the earth!"

"Well Cell, you surprised me yet again. I am so sorry, but I cannot compete with _this_power." I said sarcastically and got into my signature fighting stance. "I can't say that this hasn't been fun Cell, but I'm afraid your time is up. It's time for me to end this."

"Oh I wouldn't do that if I were you." Cell smirked. "I'm in my second stage, remember? Doctor Gero installed a bomb inside of me, strong enough to kill any threat, no matter his strength." Cell let out a menacing laugh. "The fight is over boy. I won." He exclaimed victoriously.

"I'm not going to let that happen, freak! I will kill you before that bomb goes off!" I countered.

He snickered wildly. "Oh, that's not going to work my dear boy. If you touch me, I will explode, taking you and all your pesky little friends with me. The earth will be no more." Cell threatened.

"You're bluffing." I retorted, unsure.

"Maybe so, but will you take that risk?" He asked smugly.

My arrogance vanished. Crap, he's right; I have no way of knowing if he is lying or not. My eyes widened. No... What have I done? I fell to my knees, defeated. Cell really won. If I had just killed this bastard when Dad told me to; this will have never have happened. I let the power go to my head. Why didn't I listen? I let them down again! I am a failure. Dad trusted me. He believed in me. "Why, why, why was I so stupid?!"

"Don't blame yourself boy. There was no way you could have defeated perfection anyway." Cell mocked.

I beat my fists on the ground, cracking it. Cell won; there is nothing I can do to stop this monster now. "How could I have let this happened?!" I scolded myself aloud. Dad was counting on me. _Everyone_ was counting on me! I started sobbing uncontrollably; I couldn't help it. Piccolo's teachings of "crying is only for the weak" played over and over like a broken record in my mind, but that just made me cry harder. I raked my brain, searching for a way I can turn this around, but my mind was clouded with hatred and rage; I couldn't think straight. Dammit! I rested my head in my fists and continued to weep.

I felt my father's ki coming closer. I slowly raised my head and stared at him with a puzzled expression. "D...Dad?" He smiled down at me. It was not a happy smile.

"I am so proud of you Gohan." He said. "Take care of your mother for me."

He put one hand on Cell's balloon-like body and rested two fingers on his forehead. My eyes widened. I recognized this stance... "Dad, don't!" I pleaded.

"Goodbye, my son." He greeted with a smile.

I jumped up with a magnificent speed, trying to stop him from sacrificing _himself_ for my mistake.

But I was not fast enough...

I instinctively threw my arms in front of my face, shielding it from debris flying from where Dad was standing. I frantically searched for my father's ki, but I couldn't even locate his life force. My heart sank.

Dad _and_ Cell were gone.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" My cry echoed across the battlefield. I stared at the place Dad had stood just a few moments ago. I fell down on my knees and continued crying.

"It's all right bro. Let it all out." I flinched as I heard Krillen's voice next to me. I didn't even notice his approach. Krillen allowed me to cry on his shoulders for a few minutes.

"I didn't have time to apologize." I suddenly realized. The last thing I ever said to my father was a death threat. "Dad I am so sorry! Please forgive me!" I yelled desperately at the sky. I sank slowly down on my knees. "Please, I didn't mean it..." I begged incoherently.

"Come on Gohan. Let's go home." Krillen encouraged.

"No." I was horrified. "What am I going to tell my mother and Gomih?!" I thought in horror as realization set in. "How am I going to tell them that _I_ am the reason their husband and father is dead? That _I_ am the one who killed him?" I was starting to hyperventilate. Tears streamed down my face. "Forget Cell; _I_am the monster."

"Gohan calm down. You couldn't have known that this would have been the outcome. It's not your fault." Piccolo tried to comfort.

I looked at my hands. I hated what I saw. I resented the fact that I knew martial arts. "These are the hands responsible for the death of the greatest hero earth has and will ever see." I looked at my friends, seeking some comfort. But I saw it: behind their encouraging smiles and sympathetic eyes I saw the blame. I backed away, slowly at first, but blasted off into the sky when Piccolo tried to come closer.

I had no sense of direction, I just flew into the horizon at full speed in my SS2 state; guilt being my compass. In a matter of minutes I was hundreds of miles away from _that _graveyard. Then I felt it. I froze, not sure if my mind was playing tricks on me.

My eyes widened in terror. It was _him_. And _he_ was stronger than ever...

I spun around and sped back to the battlefield. I felt Cell firing a beam, and a split second later Trunks' ki was nowhere to be found. The horror won't end. "No! You bastard! Leave my friends alone, I am coming!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.

I arrived in record time at the scene. I perceived the situation from where I was floating in the sky; it was nauseating. Trunks laid on the ground a few feet away from the other Z-fighters with a gigantic hole in his chest; dead. And Vegeta was hanging from a mountain side near Trunks' corpse, with a lot of damage: blood was gushing down his face and his right leg was twisted at an unnatural angle. I flinched at the sight.

"Ah Gohan, I am glad to see that you have returned. I was just telling your friends about my perfect design; you see, doctor Gero created me with..."

I tuned his awful voice out my head. I clenched my fists. I saw red. Cell just killed another one of my friends. I was shaking out of anger. Killing countless innocent people, 16 and my father was not enough. My breathing became heavier; rage was filling my body rapidly. This was the last time Cell will ever kill someone on my watch. I swear!

A deathly scream bounced from the ground as I released even more power. All the Z-fighters were blown away by my sudden display of power.

I punched him through the face, not allowing him to continue that repugnant speech. He crashed to the ground, creating a massive crater. Cell laughed and wiped his purple blood from the corner of his mouth with his arm, not impressed. "Still as stubborn as ever I see. When will you realize that I cannot be defeated? Can't you sense that I am twice as strong as I used to be? I thought I was perfect before, but now!" Cell laughed again. "You will never be able to defeat me now. Even if by some miracle you do kill me now, I will just regenerate again and become stronger and stronger every time I am killed. Thanks to your dear friends Piccolo and Vegeta here."

I grimaced. I was disgusted that my friends' DNA were mixed in with this monsters'. "You know what Cell? I am glad you survived, because we never really had the chance to finish our fight. And now I can avenge my father's death! You _will _be sorry you came back." I sneered.

"T...Trunks is not dead you guys, he is moving!" Yamcha exclaimed behind me.

I looked back at the place where Trunks was laying. Yamcha was right, Trunks is still alive. His feet were twitching and he was coughing up blood violently. It was a nasty sight. I couldn't bear to look at it. I spun around facing Cell again. "You ready?" I got in a fighting stance.

Our fists connected countless times, _we are evenly matched_, I thought in despair. I have to think of something. There must be a way to destroy this monster. _Think Gohan, think!_ I urged myself.

Pain shot through my body as one of Cell's punches connected with my upper torso. Cell's menacing laugh bounced around in my skull. "This is not a good time to get distracted, boy." Cell powered up; ready to deliver another blow. I caught his fist and spun him around, sending him flying towards a nearby mountain. Cell regained himself and was punching away at me once again.

My mind was still running at full speed in search for a solution. Then it hit me. I thought back to the time we fought with Garlic Junior; Piccolo's entire body was disintegrated in the battle with one of the goons, but he was still able to regenerate himself. When I asked him about it later, he told me that as long as his head was still intact, he could regenerate; probably where his lead regenerator cell is located.

Cell _must_ have one too, and no matter the vastness of his power, he will not survive or be able to regenerate if _that_ cell is destroyed. Doctor Gero must have programmed him so that the cell stays protected somehow when his 'suicide bomber mode' is activated.

All I have to do is destroy _that_ cell, and then all this horror will be over.

I knew what I had to do...


	3. Chapter 2: Life vs Death

_Greetings fellow readers! :D  
Thank you TS24 for reviewing and I appreciate those of you who listed me on their 'story alert subscription'; it gave my ego a great boost! So here's chapter 2 & 3, I hope you guys will enjoy them and please review! If you have any questions, suggestions or criticism, I would really love to hear it!_

I will try to upload a new chapter every week, so keep an eye out for them!

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ *sigh...*

Enjoy! :D

**CHAPTER 2: Life vs. Death**

As I stared into Cell's malevolent eyes, I knew what had to be done. I created this mess, so I had to clean it up.

I turned around and faced my friends for what may be the last time. Strangely I felt at peace. My eyes studied their figures for a last time, knowing that I will not see them again in the near future. I smiled sincerely. Even after all the horrid things I went through as a child, I still had a good life and I would not trade it for anything!

I could see the confusion in their eyes, and it broke my heart that I caused that. But it will soon be alright guys... I could see that Piccolo 'sensed' what I was going to do. Strange, he was more than a father to me than my biological father ever was. We just connected on a level that Dad and I never did. I could see his eyes screaming "no!" but there is no other way. I nodded slowly at him, letting him know that there is no other way. These guys are way too important to me; they deserve to live a long and happy life, even if it means, without me; I will not take _that_ away from them too.

I turned around and faced Cell; walking slowly towards him, determination set in my paces. Rage exploded inside my body at his mere sight. I resented him for all the pain he has caused and all the blood he has spillt; but mark my words, he will _not_ continue, I will make _dead_sure of that...

I glared at up my enemy, hatred apparent in my features. "You will not win!" My cry echoed through the desert as my power increased. Lightning surrounded my body as I powered up and my muscles bulked bigger with the sudden boost, actually tearing small parts of my gi.

Cell was surprised by my sudden increasity of power, but not fazed. "You fool! Haven't you realised yet that you are up against the perfect weapon?!" He asked rhetorically. "You cannot defeat me." He repeated the sentence he has overused greatly in this battle.

Ugh, I was getting tired of that speech.

All the power I had inside me burst to the surface like a volcano. I took a deep breath as I stepped one more pace towards Cell; practically touching him. It sickened me that I was at such close proximity with him, but I had to do what I had to do... A devious smile spread across my face as I looked up at him. "Checkmate." I whispered smugly and he frowned.

I formed a powerful and inescapable shield around Cell and I, imprisoning the two of us securely in it. I could see that Cell was shocked. "So you are not giving up yet boy? " He laughed. "Don't you realise that there is nothing you can do to stop me. You will just speed up earth's inevitable doom."

My eyes never left his. "Kaaaaaa Meeeeeeeeeeee" I started chanting. Cell's eyes widened as he realised what I was doing. He tried to power up, but failed drastically, my energy, being in such a short distance from him, was neutralizing his. He banged fists vigerously against the shield, trying with all his might to get out.

"No, stop!" Cell panicked aloud; as arrogant as he is, he knew that not even he would survive this blast.

"Haaaaaaaaaaaa Meeeeeeeeeeee" I continued chanting. "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" I released the most powerful Kamehameha I have ever done in my life, into the shield, directly at Cell.

The blast consumed me _and _Cell completely.

The energy disintegrated my clothes, ripping at my flesh and tearing away my skin. It hurt; I have never experienced an excrusiating pain like this in my life.

_You have to hold on for just a little while longer,_I chanted to myself over and over and over through the pain. The beating lifeforces of all my friends outside being my strongest motivator yet.

_Why won't the bastard die?!_ I panicked as I felt my control slipping. _I cannot take this for much longer..._

Right on cue, Cell disentigrated completely, not even a speck left of his body. One minute I could feel Cell's life force radiating beside me and the next moment there was just an empty vacuum from where he had stood. I realized his energy signal was completely gone, but I didn't let go of the blast just yet, not wanting to take any chances. I frantically searched for Cells' ki after about one more minute, but couldn't locate it.

I finally let go of the blast, relieved. It shot up into the sky; probably going to travel the remainder of his energy out in space.

My mangled body fell to the ground with a loud thump. I couldn't feel anything, I barely registered that I was somehow still alive. Is it really possible to still be alive after that? I tried to stand up, but I couldn't move a muscle. My body just laid there on the ground like a piece of meat.

Maybe I am dead after all. Wait, I can feel the ki's of all my friends around me. Their life-forces were still pulsing violently. They are alive; I am alive! I wanted to smile but I couldn't get my lips to move. Piccolo whispered in my ear that everything will be alright, but I could hear his voice shaking with doubt.

"Hold on Gohan, we are taking you to Dende now, you will survive. Don't give up on me now kid, you hear?!" Piccolo yelled. If I had control over my body I would have flinched. I must try to hold on for a little longer, maybe I could be healed. For the first time in a long while, I felt hope.

Piccolo picked me up in his arms like a baby. "Yamcha, Tien, take Trunks and Vegeta." He instructed as he jumped into the sky with me safely in his grasp; speeding with haste to earth's gaurdian and our healer.

We reached the lookout in a flash. I felt more ki's gathering around me; my mother's, Bulma's, Gomih's and Dende's. I could hear my mother screaming at everybody. "How could you have let my baby fight with that monster?! He is still a child and you are grown men! You should be ashamed with yourselves." Her voice turned to disbelief. "Letting a child fight your battles." She rushed towards me and screamed. "Gohan, my poor baby, we should get you to the hospital!" She put my head on her lap and caressed my face gently.

Dende hurried to my side. "Don't worry Chi-Chi; he is better off with me than in any hospital." She relaxed a bit after Dende's statement.

Her voice suddenly became fierce. "Where's Goku?! I have a few bones to pick with him." All the z-fighters looked down, not wanting to break the terrible news to an emotional Chi-Chi; a sad vibe filled the air. "What? Did he take off again?" She grabbed Krillen by the collar. "Did he?" Krillen hesitated. "Spit it out!" she shouted impatiently.

"He is dead Chi-Chi." He whispered. She stared at her husband's best friend with her head slightly turned askew in confusion. "H...he can't be." She whispered in shock as she fainted.

A few seconds past and Dende spoke. "I...I cannot heal him." His voice was filled with sadness. "He is too damaged."

"No no no! You didn't try hard enough Dende! Try again!" Gomih's sobbed next to my body.

"I did my best, I am so sorry Gomih." He apologized sincerely.

I wanted to cry too; I hated seeing my sister sad.

Dende turned his attention to Trunks and Vegeta. He placed his hands over their chests and Trunks' eyes were the first to shoot open. "Wow, thank you guys, I really thought I was a goner." He dusted the dust from his clothes and smiled. "Gohan beat Cell! That is amazing!" he exclaimed. "By the way, where is he?" He said looking around him.

"There." Piccolo said emotionless and pointed to my mangled body.

I heard Trunks gasp as he saw the horrible and bloody condition I was in.

Vegeta also awoke, perceiving the situation. "He was a noble warrior." He stated respectfully as he got up to his feet.

"No!" Gomih snapped at Vegeta, "He _is _a noble warrior, _IS_! Stop talking like he is already dead; he is not!"

Piccolo put a hand on her shoulder. "He can be wished back." He said reassuringly.

She shook his hand off her shoulder. "How can you give up so easily, I thought Gohan was your best friend?!" She asked accusingly. "Best friends don't watch each other die without doing something about it!" She preached.

Piccolo didn't say anything, he just stared at the ground in shame; he knew he let his friend down. "And you," my sister directed to all the z-fighters in a fit of rage, "what kind of friends are you?! "My brother just saved all your lives and you have the audacity to just stand there and await his death with open arms?! This is how you thank the earth's saviour?!" She snorted in disgust. "Unbelievable."

I felt my life force slipping faster than I could hold on. I knew it was time to let go.

Piccolo's heart sank. "His power is fading fast."

"Gohan please don't go! I need you." She pleaded. She thrust continually on my chest to keep my heart beating. "Please bro?! I cannot lose my father _and_ brother in one day." Tears were streaming down her face; falling on my torso. "I will not allow it!" She screamed in a high pitch at the top of her lungs.

"Gomih, he is not going to make it; all his other vital organs are failing, not just his heart." Piccolo said sadly. "We will gather the Dragonballs; we _will_ wish him back." He tried to comfort her.

"Then do it already and wish for him to be healed!" Gomih snapped as she continued pumping my heart manually.

"There is not enough time." Piccolo's voice cracked.

"Of course there is not, if you are all just standing there converting oxygen into carbon dioxide, help me!" She was desperate, but nobody answered to her plea. "Isn't it enough that I have already lost my father today? I will not watch my brother die too!" She was wailing now. "I just can't bear it..." She whispred sadly.

I summoned all my remaining willpower and smiled for a final time as I drifted off into a never-awakening slumber...

(Gomih's POV)

I could feel Gohan's life fading under my arms. "No no, no, no, no! Stay with me, please!" I pleaded desperately. But he was already gone. It is over...

I mentally heard the beeping noise of a heart-monitor from a hospital flatline as Gohan drew his last breath, and I cringed. "No!" I shouted and continued pumping Gohan's lifeless chest. "You are not dead!" I chanted over and over in denial, louder each time.

Strong hands folded around my waist and pulled me away from my brother's _corpse_. "No let go of me! I got to help him!" I struggled against Piccolo's grip and kicked and punched the air wildly; attempting to free herself. _I need to het back to him!_ It was all in vain; Piccolo's grip never loosened.

"Gomih, he's gone." Piccolo said slowly, as if he were talking to a mentally challenged person.

"No he is not!" I stated stubbornly as stared at my twin's motionless form. My body fell slap in Piccolo's arms as realisation set in. His is dead... I didn't have the strength to put a fight anymore. Piccolo let go of me, making me crash-land on my knees on the neerby floor. I crawled slowly to my brother's still, unmoving body.

"I...I...failed." I muttered in despair and held his cold hand in my own. "Gohan is dead." Those words did not belong together in a sentence; it did not make sense. No physical pain can be compared to the pain I felt as my twin brother left this world. I felt so numb; like I had just died with him.

"Don't worry little brother, we will collect the Dragonballs and wish you back, okay?" I sobbed, clutching his hand tighter, secretly hoping that he will return with a gentle squeeze, but he didn't...

"You will just have to wait a little while in heaven." I managed a smile through my tears. "Don't have too much fun without me, you hear?"

Suddenly an empty space filled the place where Gohan's body used to be. "Where did he go?" I frantically searched around me for his body. It was just here! I was just holding his hand; his firm rock-solid hand...

"A hero is allowed to keep his body after he dies." Piccolo exclaimed emotionless.

I started sobbing again and put my hands over my face in despair. "Now we can't even hold a proper burial." I wailed and passed out.


	4. Chapter 3: Wishes

**CHAPTER 3: Wishes**

(Gomih's POV)

Trunks, Piccolo and I immediatly went on a quest to search for the magical Dragonballs early the next morning, one day after Gohan's passing. With the help of one of Bulma's more advanced dragonradar's, we effectively found every ball in a matter of three days, the damn things were literally scattered all over the globe!

After three days we told all the z-warriors to gather on the lookout so we can make our wishes. We thought it would be safer to do it up there, since the last time we summoned the dragon at Bulma's place in Capsule Corporation, the centre-piece of the city, we had to use a whole wish to erase the people's memories of the magical dragon.

I was anxious to see my brother, alive, with my own eyes again; I can't wait for him to be revived so I can hug his warm, living, body; I even looked forward to the brotherly noogie I knew he was going to give me. I was bouncing up and down like a hyper-active little kid who just ate red sweets, in excitement. Can't wait!

These past three days felt like an eternity to me. Listening to Mothers mourns and having to comfort her, when my heart was also broken, in more pieces imaginable...

I decided to leave my mother at home; I really wasn't in the mood for all her theatricals. Thank goodness she can't fly, I thought in relief. Or else I would have been in a lot of trouble...

"Mighty Shenron, rise and grant us our wishes!" Dende exclaimed after he assembled the seven balls neatly together in a circle. The balls started to glow brilliantly and the sky turned pitch-black; more black than Mister Popo's butt!

Everybody was awe-stricken as the majestic dragon rose from the balls. "Choose your words carefully as you speak; I will only make two of your wishes come true." The dragon had a very deep voice.

"Shenron." Krillen spoke up. "Please revive all those on earth who were killed by Cell."

"Your wish will be granted." Shenron grumbled and his eyes shone brilliant crimson as he made the wish come true.

I felt billions of ki's roam the earth once more, but my heart sank when I noticed that Gohan's ki was nowhere to be found.

"Guys, I can't feel Gohan's ki." Krillen thought aloud.

Piccolo grumbled angrily. "You weren't specific enough with our wish Krillen." He said irritated. "You asked for those who were killed by Cell to be revived; Goku and Gohan weren't killed by Cell, they sacrificed themselves, you fool!"

"Oops, gee sorry Piccolo; at least we have another wish." He said carefully, not wanting to anger his green acquaintance; Piccolo's temper frightened him.

"Can we wish for Dad and Gohan to be revived in one wish?" I wondered aloud.

"I am afraid that is not possible." Dende said. "I created the balls to grant us two wishes at once, but that meant that I had to sacrifice another ability to make it happen, and I made it that someone who has already been wished back before, must take a whole wish to be revived."

"So who do we wish back first, Kakarot or the brat?" Vegeta retorted.

Everybody looked at each other in thought, considering what to do. "You are ignorant morons!" Vegeta yelled impatiently. "I cannot take your constant idiocy anymore! Just wish Kakarot back first. He can use that Instant Transmission crap of his to go to namek and borrow their Dragonballs, so you can wish the brat _and _his idiotic father back in one day!"

Krillen was surprised. "Vegeta has a point." He stated.

"Of course I do!" Vegeta yelled annoyed. "Now just get on with it, I don't have all day."

"Shenron! Revive the fallen warrior Go..." Piccolo began, he didn't want Krillen to screw up another wish.

"Wait! Don't I get a say in this." A friendly voice appeared out of nowhere. Everybody looked around frantically in every direction to find the source of the voice. "Hi everybody, it's me!"

"Dad?" I exclaimed, recognizing the cheerful voice of my father instantly. "Where are you?"

"King Kai is letting me talk to you telepathically from Other World, so listen up." He explained. "Lately I have been thinking a lot about why the earth is always in danger and under constant attack, and I realized that most of the guys, who attacked us, were after me! Think about it, Frieza, Cell, the androids..." His voice trailed off. "They all wanted my blood..."

He hesitated for a few seconds before speaking again. "And I think that it will be better for the earth," he let out a sigh, "if I didn't come back this time..."

"But Goku..." Everybody said in unison; shocked that he would even suggest such a thing.

"King Kai agrees with me." He interrupted. "As a Saiyan baby I was sent to earth to destroy it, and even though all my life I was trying to do just the opposite of that, it's kind of like I've been fulfilling that mission all along. So, yeah, I am going to stay here, and I really don't mind!" The cheerfulness was back in his voice. "King Kai even says that I can get special treatment up here because I have saved the earth and many a galaxy from destruction many times. I will even be able to keep my body and from what I hear, there's lots of interesting people to meet up here. It will be fun!"

He hesitated again, as if he were choosing his next words carefully. "I guess what I am trying to say is, I really appreciate your feelings towards me, but you will have to find something else to wish for." His voice turned more serious. "_This _is my home now." His voice filled with pride. "Gohan's so strong now; I have nothing left to teach him. I am proud of you guys," He directed towards his children, "you guys better take notes on everything that happen in your lives, because when their through, I want to hear all about them."

Piccolo held a confused expression on his face, I mimicked it. It sounded like Dad thought that Gohan was still with ushere on earth, _alive_. "Goku, isn't Gohan with you?" Piccolo asked the question everyone was dreading.

"Huh, what do you mean?" Dad asked puzzled.

"Gohan died three days ago with Cell; he sacrificed himself to save us." Piccolo explained grimly.

"What, that can't be!? If he were here I would have felt his energy! And besides King Yemma didn't mention anything about Gohan being dead when I asked if Cell was sent to HFIL. He can't be dead, silly."

"But Dad," I interjected, "we felt his life force disappear and his body vanished after he died." My voice became thick as I recalled the ghastly memory. "All his vital organs failed, there was nothing any of us could have done to save him; not even Dende could heal him." I continued in a melancholy tone.

"But, that's impossible..." His voice trailed of in thought. "Give me a sec, I am going to ask King Yemma."

"State your last wish." The dragon grumbled impatiently.

"Can't you give us a few more minutes, we are not ready yet." Yamcha pleaded.

"Very well."

"Guys, Gohan is not dead, King Yemma confirmed it." Dad's voice filled our minds again. "He said that no 'Gohan' has checked in the last decade; quite frankly, the only Gohan who has ever checked in was my grandpa, almost thirty years ago! Why don't you wish for him to be returned to the lookout?" Dad suggested.

"Hmmm, good idea, but something doesn't feel right." Piccolo mumbled incoherently.

"Dragon, revive the fallen warrior, Gohan, responsible for Cell's death." I noticed that he wanted to be very specific, not taking any chances.

"It cannot be done, the one you call Gohan is not dead." The Dragon stated.

My mouth fell open. I didn't imagine the whole scene where I saw Gohan die in my arms, did I? I wasn't sure anymore... "How is this possible Piccolo?" I asked my brother's green friend.

"Beats me kid." Piccolo was also super confused

Goku laughed from beyond. "I told you." He said smugly through the laughs.

"Then we wish for Gohan to be teleported to the lookout." Piccolo said, ignoring my dad's arrogant response.

"It cannot be done; he is not alive." The dragon continued.

Piccolo's face held a bit of red, starting at his cheeks as he got even more livid. "But you just said that he is alive! Now he's suddenly dead again?!" He shouted. "Where is he dammit?!"

"I don't know his exact whereabouts; he is located in a realm I have no control over." The Dragon finally revealed.

Piccolo grunted in annoyance. "I wish that you get control over this realm so you can tell us where the hell he is!" Piccolo's rage was boiling over by now.

"It's beyond my power to grant that wish."

Piccolo clenched his fists. "Ugh. This Dragon is starting to get on my nerves; Dende I am going to kill it!"

"Piccolo please calm down!" Dende pleaded, afraid that he would actually do it.

"State you final wish, I am not going to wait any longer." The Dragon grumbled impatiently.

"What do we wish for now?" Krillen asked in a panicky voice.

"Piccolo, wish me back." Dad instructed out of the blue. "We can sort this out together. Bye King Kai."

"Cheers, home wrecker!" King Kai snorted bitterly.

"Dragon we wish for Goku to be revived." Krillen said, not wanting Piccolo to say something stupid.

"Your wish is granted." Its eyes glowed crimson again and Dad appeared in front of us. The Dragon retreated back into the balls and they scattered away in every direction all over earth.

"Dad, you're alive!" I exclaimed happily, running to my father and jumping into his arms. At least I have one family member back today, but I was disappointed that it wasn't my brother.

"Hey Kiddo" Dad greeted with a smile as he tussled his only daughters' wild hair.

"Tell me everything..."


	5. Chapter 4: A Whole New World

_Hey everybody! Thank you again for all the readers who subscribed to my story and to SSJInferno, serpent and peanut butter for reviewing. I hope you like my new chapters... _

_Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ, yet ... *evil laugh*_

**CHAPTER 4: A Whole New World**

I awoke in a vast and extremely white meadow. It was as if I were standing in an array of clouds.  
My hands travelled from my chest to my legs, making sure everything was still intact. Funny, I wondered, Dad described Otherworld quite differently; aren't I supposed to meet with King Yemma so he could assign me to heaven or hell or something? I shrugged. Maybe I just misunderstood him. Oh well, I could probably let myself be heard.

"Hello? Anyone there?" I shouted at the top of my lungs. I waited a few seconds for a reply.

Silence...

I took a few steps forward; deeper into the never-ending whiteness. This place was so bright, my eyes started to hurt. I cupped my hands over my mouth for extra volume. "Hello? Can anyone hear me?" I tried once more.

"Yes yes, I heard you the first time! Just shut your mouth, some of us is trying to sleep here, for goodness sake!" Someone replied irritated.

I walked towards the sound of the voice. I stopped. I could have sworn I heard it, where is he? "Where are you?" I asked.

I heard a sigh. "Everybody always discriminates against the midgets..." I looked down. There stood a little dragon-like creature dressed formally in a black tuxedo. He thrust his chest out and stood on the tips of his toes; probably trying to appear more intimidating. I smiled at the creature. "Hey there, I'm Gohan." I introduced myself friendly and bowed as a greeting. He didn't say anything; he just stared at me with a confused expression planted on his face. "Don't worry; I am not going to hurt you." My smile grew deeper and I extended my arm towards it. He angrily smacked my hand away. "Do I look like a dog to you?" he yelled. Okay, someone has a temper I thought glumly and rubbed my hand; that actually hurt!

He mumbled something incoherently, but it didn't sound too friendly. He flew up, and our eyes met. I flinched at his sudden approach. He pinched my cheeks and turned his head askew as he stared at me in astonishment. "You are real?" He asked slowly and pinched his own cheek as well. "I am not imagining things again?" His eyes grew bigger with excitement.

"Uh, no" I replied a little shocked. "Now will you please let go of me?" His hand was still glued to my cheek.

An excited smile spread across his face. He embraced me tightly around my waist, applying pressure on my lungs; a hug very similar to my mother's. "C...can't...b...breath." I somehow chocked out.  
The pressure lessened and I welcomed oxygen in my lungs with open arms.

"I'm so sorry, Gochan was it? I just can't believe an actual person is standing in front of me!" he squealed. "I haven't had social interaction with an authentic person in over two hundred years!"

"It's Gohan." I repeated. "Who exactly are you and what is this place?" I wanted answers.

"Oh where are my manners? I am Draco, king of this quadrant!" He stated dramatically.

I hesitated, looking around me at the mind-crushing whiteness. "Uh, nice place you got here?"

"Indeed." He simply replied. "So what can I do you for? Did King Yemma send you?"

"No. Well you see, I died," I pointed a finger to the halo on my head, "and the next thing I knew I woke up in this place."

He gasped. "You are a _chosen_ one!" He grabbed my arm and tugged me forward.

"Huh, chosen for what?" I asked a little startled with his sudden outburst.

"No time for explaining boy." He let go of my arm and made some odd gestures with his hands. I just stood there, stunned. What is he doing? "Well are you just going to stand there gaping like an ape?" He asked sarcastically. "Go through this portal before I push you through." He threatened.

I started towards the portal door, almost hypnotized. It was as if something was drawing me to whatever was behind the door...

I shielded my eyes as a sudden burst of light overwhelmed me. I opened my eyes slightly to adjust to the brightness of the place. My mouth fell open. This was the most beautiful place I have ever seen.

The grass was greener than the brightest emerald. The sky was majestic blue, with a slight purple tint to it. The trees rose out of the ground and went on for miles in the flawless sky. Flowers decorated the area with a rainbow smile of colours and I could hear a waterfall guzzling in the distance. This is like nothing I have ever seen before.

A graceful chuckle tickled my ears. An elderly man appeared in my vision. He resembled a tall Master Roshi, without the sunglasses and peculiar clothing of course. He was wearing a long purple-ish robe with chocolate brown sandals and a matching belt. His hair was marvellous silver, flowing down to the small of his back like an iced waterfall. His eyes were a strange but intriguing combination of blue and brown, such warm eyes. A smile spread across his lips as he welcomed me.

"Gohan, I see you have arrived safely at my humble abode. Welcome!" His voice was filled with genuine joy; he had such a musical voice. I was stunned by his mere presence. I just stood there motionless, like a statue. My brain had wiped out everything I knew, except how to breathe.

Draco came to my rescue and spoke. He gave a little bow as he greeted this strange man. "Good day, your Gloriousness. Please excuse my friend; he has suffered a severe blow to the head on his way to your place and acquired a very advanced form of brain damage. Unfortunately he was rendered speechless." Draco gave a fake whimper. "So sad, he is still so young!" He elbowed my leg softly, "I've got your back buddy." He whispered almost incoherently.

A musical laugh filled my ears. "How I have missed your theatricals dear Draco, but I am sure your friend is capable of talking for himself. Aren't I right, Gohan?" He asked.

"How do you know my name?" I blurted out without thinking.

The man started to laugh again. "Gohan, show some respect!" Draco scolded. "You are in the presence of the Magisterial Kai."

"Magisterial Kai?" I repeated.

Draco had a hint fear in his voice. "Yes, idiot, he is in charge of..."

"That's enough Draco; I will explain everything to the boy myself." The man interjected.

He looked into my eyes and started to explain everything. "I have been keeping an eye on you ever since you were a mere infant. You see, I am the Magisterial Kai, like Draco mentioned," he nodded towards the little dragon, "and it is my job to make sure that peace is kept between the four quadrants. I noticed your incredible power and immediately took interest; I have never felt such a deep, pure ki in my life, and at such a young age!" he gushed, "It was really extraordinary. I kept closer tabs on you and your planet, which seems to be a magnet for destruction! I felt the power inside you grow in magnitudes further than my wildest imaginations and the power you emitted in your battle with Cell sent shockwaves through the entire universe, in all four quadrants!" He exclaimed.

I blushed. "Gosh, I didn't realise it was that much."

"Indeed" He said. "When I saw you were sacrificing your own life, for your loved ones and people on earth you didn't even know, I knew you were worthy. Such a noble gesture. I used my powers to send you here. At your current state, you are neither alive nor dead, you are somewhere in between."

I took a moment to process all that he just had said. "Then why, excuse my bluntness, am I here right now and not in Other World." I asked.

The Kai smiled. "I want to make you an offer."

I was hesitant, not sure where this was going. "What?"

"How would you feel about being my student, Gohan?" He asked in a warm tone.

Draco broke the silence. "What?" He exclaimed, surprised. "I thought you weren't taking students anymore, not since..."

Magisterial Kai stared at him angrily and Draco stopped mid-sentence. "Gohan is an exception, and it would be a huge waste if his potential cannot be fully unlocked." He stated sternly.

He turned to me. "So what do you say Gohan?" His voice was calm again. "If you don't want to, I will understand completely; you have free will, it is your choice. I have the power to send you back to your family on earth; it is unfair for such a young life to be ended so abruptly. You deserve to live your life fully and die at a natural age. Or if you want to spend the remainder of your days in the peaceful Other World, it could also be arranged. But I offer you the chance to unlock your full potential, to be the strongest person in the universe." He looked at me with kind eyes, urging me for an answer.

I honestly didn't know what to say. It was a very tempting offer. My Saiyan-half urged towards the challenges of a new found power and the adventures it holds, but my human half urged for the chance to go back home and live a full and happy life surrounded by my family and friends, as was initially intended for me. But then again, if I go back home, I still won't be able to live a normal human life; there will always be a villain threatening me and my people's existence, and when that happens I would want to be strong enough to protect the people I love. A shudder travelled down my spine. I don't want to let them down ever again!

I smiled at Magisterial Kai. "Where do I sign?"


	6. Chapter 5: A Level Beyond

**CHAPTER 5: A level beyond  
**  
"Marvellous!" Magisterial Kai exclaimed happily. "There is so much I have to teach you! Let me accompany you to your quarters."

"Sure!" I exclaimed and followed him, smiling while he babbled on and on about our upcoming training. This was so exciting!

A sudden loud grumble echoed across the valley and caused stray birds to scatter, from their protective nests, in every direction out of fear. I froze and clutched my stomach.

_ So. Hungry._

"What the devil was that?!" Magisterial wondered aloud. He turned around, looking at me and Draco with a confused expression. "Did you hear that?" He asked. Draco pointed one of his stubby claws in my direction.

"He did it!" Ugh, what a child.

Magisterial saw my hands caressing my stomach and he chuckled. I felt my face getting hot while a blush formed on my cheeks. "No need to be embarrassed son; a young warrior has to eat to keep his strength up!" He stated fatherly. "I suppose our first stop will be the kitchen." He smiled at me.

I put my hand behind my head, and let out a chuckle; a gesture famous in the Son-household. "I was hoping you were going to say that, sir."

He smiled at me before turning to the small dragon-like creature that brought me here. "Draco?" He asked in a voice that sounded more like an order.

Draco slouched his shoulders. "I am on it sir…" He said dispiritedly with a sigh before he disappeared.

"We will meet up with him in the kitchen again." Magisterial answered my unaired questions.

He led me over a narrow stoned path, and not to long after, we reached a small building, built in a square formation. This must be the kitchen, I suspected as I saw smoke streaming out of the chimney on the roof.

The walls of this building were painted light brown; a warm colour to compliment its warm surroundings. The door was large, and almost reached the roof on the wall it claimed.

As I walked in, I was greeted by a magnitude of food-relating smell. I closed my eyes and smiled as I inhaled all the loving scents; my stomach grumbled even harder than before as the aromas of the sweet delicacies that was being prepared, reached its core.

I sat down at the table and waited for my meal to arrive; while we waited Magisterial and I engaged in small-talk, he mostly asked about me, and my life.

After about half an hour later, Draco gracefully floated in, fully dressed in chef-clothing, complete with a chef hat as he carried a few silver plates, balancing some on his head and shoulders.

I licked my lips as he placed one of the trays in front of me. I breathed in through my nose. _Ah such a heavenly scent._ Draco lifted the silver lid and a thick cloud of meaty aromas shot directly into my face; I didn't mind.

Without further adduce, I dived in, grabbing random food with my bare hands, momentarily forgetting my tableside manners about using eating utensils.

Lobster, steak, fish, turkey... I was in love.

I devoured the food like there was no tomorrow. I could see Magisterial Kai's eyes widen in astonishment every time I asked for another helping. When I was finally finished eating, I reclined happily in my chair and stroked my round, shining belly.

Hundreds of empty plates rose like skyscrapers before me on the table.

"Finished?" Magisterial asked unsure as he eyed my stomach.

I nodded with a sleepy smile. "It was delicious thank you."

He laughed. "I am glad, looks like we will need a bigger kitchen with you around."

I laughed at his joke. "You have no idea…" I breathed.

"Draco," Magisterial called. The tiny creature came out of the kitchen with soapy foam all over his clothes and face, instantly after the call. "Will you be a dear and get more groceries before tomorrow morning?" He asked in a very polite voice. "This one is going to eat us out of this world." He said pointing at me.

"Yes sir!" He proclaimed and saluted. He shot me a death stare before turning around and heading to the dirty dishes again.

"Great!" He indirectly thanked Draco. "Well Gohan, you are going to have a long day ahead of you tomorrow, so I suggest you get some rest; I will escort you to your chamber." He said as he wiped the corners of his mouth with a bleach-white napkin.

We both got up at the same time and headed out the door. We walked on a grey-stoned pathway again, but this time heading in the opposite direction.

I couldn't help but gape at my surroundings. A soft mountain breeze softly caressed my face. I closed my eyes, taking it in. I let out a gleeful sigh. I am going to be happy here...

A feeling of guilt formed in my stomach and chased the peace and tranquillity hastily away.

Mom and Gomih must be so sad. The sudden realization hit me. I have taken so much away from them and now I won't be returning home to fill in the role of 'man of the house.' I wish I could be there...

Wait! I completely forgot about the Dragonballs! They are surely going to wish me back!

"Sir," I said with severity in my voice, "I am sure my family is going to wish me back with the Dragonballs on earth; you see they are magical..."

A soft smiled played on his lips. "I know what they are Gohan and you do not have to worry about that; the Dragonballs cannot reach you here." He interrupted my rant

"I don't understand, if they wish for me to be resurrected, I will return to earth?" I was confused.

"The Dragonballs only has power to grant wishes in the four quadrants; and since you are in my realm; not located in any of the quadrants, they won't work." He explained.

"But..." I wanted to know more.

He suddenly stopped, making me walk into him. He put his hands on my shoulders. "Gohan save your questions for tomorrow." He nodded his head towards a little cabin. "This is your room; you will find everything you need inside, and if you desire anything else, don't hesitate to ask. You know where the kitchen is, breakfast is served at 7 sharp and don't be tardy." He wished me a pleasant night and walked away.

I walked on the stone path towards the door, a colourful array of flowers smiling at me as I walked. My hand curled around the round doorknob, and it made a clicking sound as I opened it. The door swung open gracefully, not creaking as it opened.

The cabin smelled like nature; a musky wood scent overwhelmed my senses as I walked through the door.

It was nicely furnished; I even had my own mini den complete with a lounge area and cosy fireplace. I walked through the corridor and examined the walls; they were decorated with old photographs of Magisterial Kai, and what I presume, his previous students. The wooden floor creaked under my feet; it reminded me so much of my house back on earth, where Mom and Gomih are probably bawling their eyes out right now_._

Don't think like that Gohan, I scolded myself, they are way better off without you.

I reached my bedroom and was glad to see that it was simple and not luxurious; I don't want my time here to be, or feel, like a vacation.

The room held a single bed with aquamarine-coloured covers and matching curtains. I realized that the closet was made out of Mahogany and was filled with all the necessary clothing: casual clothing like t-shirts and jeans, pyjamas, underwear and at least ten white gi's. I had a desk and bookcase too.

I opened my curtains and looked out of my window; I had the most breathtakingly beautiful view. The west side of the glorious mountainside was staring at me, I felt at one with nature here.

The bed looked so inviting in my tired state; I fell onto my new bed; it was so comfortable. The mattress swallowed me and I quickly fell into a deep slumber...

I jolted up suddenly as a sudden pain shot through my head. "Ow!" I clutched my throbbing head, trying to lessen the pain; I could already feel a bump forming. Who could have done this? My eyes scanned the room, but there was no other living thing in sight.

I searched for any ki's, trying to find the culprit, and located Draco's ki near me. _Of course._ I slowly slumped to the closet where I felt his ki radiating from. I opened the closet door, and as sure as hell, he was there.

"Draco, what the hell?!" I shouted. A smug Draco was whistling a cheerful tune, trying not to obscure his innocence, but I could clearly see a sledgehammer behind his back. His throaty chuckle filled the room. "Hahaha! That's for making me wash hundreds of dishes yesterday."

"Why you little..." I threatened and jumped forward, trying to catch him.

"You owe me Gohan!" He yelled as he fled away from me. "As you can see it is almost 7'o'clock, the time His Highness told you to be ready and meet him at the kitchen, and correct me if I am wrong," he scrutinized my clothing and my wild untamed hair, "you aren't cleaned or dressed yet..."

"Crap!" I exclaimed loudly as I got a look at the watch on my dresser and jumped into the shower, undressing while I sprinted to the bathroom, leaving my clothes on the floor.

I showered in record time but as I got out I noticed that the towels were missing. I frantically opened every cabinet, desperate to find something to dry me off with.

"Looking for these?" Draco asked innocently behind me. He was waving the towels back and forth, mocking me.

"Draco! Give them to me!" I yelled and extended my arms towards him, expecting him to put the _stolen_ towels in my awaiting arms; I was anxious not to be late on my first day.

He snorted at my poor attempt to get the towels back and spun around. "You can't catch me!" He chanted childishly and rushed into the corridor.

"Ugh!" I grumbled frustrated; I did not have time for his silly games!

His behaviour reminded me of a young Gomih, when she would sneak into my room and steal my most treasured belongings, at the time, when I was five, it was my pet rock. She always forced me to chase after her and that was a fruitless mission; while I inherited the strength she inherited the speed. I could never catch her; I always chose to fight fire with fire and stole her toy cars, but of course I got caught and all the blame fell directly on me! She never could do anything wrong in Dad's eyes, but at least Mother had my back...

"Give it back!" I pleaded, shaking off the random memory that just flashed through my mind. Draco was nearly impossible to catch; he kept fazing away every time I wrapped my arms around him, causing me to hug the air, and his masked ki was impossible to trace.

Furniture was knocked over in our quarrel and my cabin became a huge mess. He sped out the door and I chased him around my little lawn, in my birthday suit. He tried to make a run for it in the direction of the kitchen but I caught up with him. He halted at the kitchen door and his expression became terrified.

A smug smile played on my lips. _ I got you now you pest!_ I thought in pleasure and made a leap for him, but he moved away at the last second; he whispered 'gotcha' when I flew right past him, skiing through the kitchen door.

I cursed myself; I can't believe I fell for the oldest trick in the book!

My eyes grew big in horror as I perceived my surroundings: Magisterial Kai was talking _with _another elderly man, who was now gawking in bewilderment at me.

Magisterial stopped their conversation and also stared at my wet, naked body with shock. I stood petrified in front of them, completely nude. My hands flew to my privates, covering my shame. My cheeks flashed brilliant vermillion in embarrassment, _oh I wanted to die_.

Magisterial Kai frowned in disbelief. I smiled awkwardly at them and slowly backed away.

"Ah, Gohan!" Magisterial finally spoke, "just the person we were talking about; I was just telling my good friend, Grand Kai," He waved a hand towards his companion, "about you."

"Nice to make your acquaintance sir, I am Gohan." I introduced myself politely.

His skin was flawless lavender and he was dressed like a biker, complete with dark sunglasses.

I was surprised when he threw a peace sign my way. "I hear great things about your power Gohan. Your mentor and I were just talking about enrolling you in the Universal Martial Arts Tournament. You actually need at least thirty years training experience to qualify for this event, but I am willing to make an exception in your case. I am curious to see if your power is really as great as what my friend here brags about. So what do you say dude, you in?"

"Yes sure, why not?" I replied over-eagerly, I just wanted to get out of this awkward situation ASAP.

"Groovy, that's the spirit! So I guess I will see you in eight months. Peace brothers." He greeted, flashing a peace sign again, and vanished.

I looked down in shame when as Magisterial approached; he is probably going to punish me for embarrassing him in front of the Grand Kai, but instead he chuckled. "You are a different one Gohan." He said laughing. "I can probably say with accuracy that Draco is the mischievous mastermind behind your," he hesitated, "predicament."

I nodded and he laughed again. "Never a dull moment!"

"I will leave you to get dried and dressed and your breakfast is in the oven. Flare your ki when you are done, and we can start with our training." I let out a breath of relief; thank goodness he understood!

When I retreated out the back door, Draco was there, waiting for me with tears in his eyes; he probably saw the whole ordeal and laughed himself to near death.

"I am going to kill you." I whispered menacingly.

He just continued laughing. He rolled on the floor, gasping for air. "Hahahahaha! You earned this buddy!" He said through the chuckles and tossed the towels at me.

I grabbed them quickly, cowered myself up and ran to my cabin to get dressed. I put on one of the white gi's I found in my closet and returned to the kitchen; I devoured my eggs and toast in seconds and flared my ki to signal that I was finished.

After breakfast Magisterial lead me to where we were going to train. "Sir, about that tournament..." I started.

"Yes?" He asked in a pleasant voice.

"Eight months is an awfully short time to prepare for a tournament." I said. "My dad always started training years before the actual tournament occurred."

"Yes that may be so, but you are an extraordinary fighter Gohan, eight months is more than enough time to prepare. I wouldn't be burdening you with this if I didn't know you could do it." He said in a motivational tone.

It was silent between us for a while but then he spoke again. "Tell me about your transformations; I have noticed that you, and several of your friends on earth, have forms where your power increases wildly more than in your original state, and your hair turns from ebony to gold. Is this maybe the legendary transformation from Saiyan folktales?"

"You know about the Saiyan heritage?" I asked in awe.

"Of course" He stated and smiled and gestured a hand for me to answer his question.

"Yes." I answered. "It is called the 'Legendary Super Saiyan'" I stated dramatically. "I was friends, uh well kind of friends, with the Saiyan Prince, Vegeta; he always made sure everybody knew about the fact that he, as elite Saiyan warrior, was the Legendary Saiyan." I chuckled. "But ironically my dad, a low class warrior, was the first to unlock the secrets of this transformation, he soon followed of course, but his ego got a gigantic hit, I'm not sure he ever recovered from that, but nevertheless, he stayed arrogant. We later learned that there was an advanced form of a super Saiyan, super Saiyan two if you will." I smiled. "I was the first to unlock this state, in my battle with Cell." I grimaced at the thought of that horrible event. "Vegeta's ego got an even bigger hit; an eleven year old overpowered him! But when I transformed into Super Saiyan 2, I could almost swear I felt a hidden deepness to the power, as if there were a stronger power located just underneath that I just unleashed; Super Saiyan three..." My voice trailed off.

"I see." He said in thought. "If there is another level of your Super Saiyan transformation, we _will_ unlock it in our training."

He led me to a wide open field. Mountains surrounded this serene opening, making it the ideal training spot. We walked down a set of narrow stairs and he instructed me to stand in the middle of the open field, while he stayed behind at the back.

Draco popped out of nowhere. "What did I miss?" he asked as he waved at me and stood next to Magisterial.

"Power up to your absolute maximum." He ordered from across the field, ignoring Draco's question.

I loosened my neck and stretched my arms and legs; just like Dad always did before a fight or spar. I took a deep breath and powered up. A bright white fire-like aura surrounded my body as I unleashed my power; I reached the max of my base form and tapped into the first transformation of Super Saiyan, my scream ran through the field.

A crater started to form underneath me and I sank lower into the ground on it. The limit in this form was reached and I concentrated, trying to locate the place within me, the second Super Saiyan transformation was hidden, I found it and uttered an ear-splitting scream as I released it. My power emitted a strong wind, shattering the mountains and causing the ground to quake apart.

Magisterial stood firm, the strong wind not affecting him at all, but Draco was blown away by my display of power, he was holding on for dear life on Magisterial's robe.

"Mommy!" He exclaimed, frightened.

"Dig deeper Gohan!" Magisterial yelled. "I can sense a deep power just underneath your current transformation!"

I pushed harder, trying to squeeze every fragment of my power out. My scream grew more agonized as I tried to outer something I couldn't reach. "I can't reach that power!" I panted.

"You can do it, concentrate! Clear your mind. The power comes in respond to a need, not a desire." He said wisely. "You need this power to protect your loved ones, Gohan, not to be the strongest; think about your family and friends, facing a threat stronger than Cell, but you are limited to the power of your second super Saiyan form, you must be stronger, or else you will fail, resulting in the death of all your loved ones!"

I painted a picture of his words in my mind. I could see how I stand helpless at the sidelines while my friends and family get beaten to a pulp. No. I will not fail, I will thrive! I searched for the power.

"No!" I shouted at the top of my lungs and emitted a huge power I didn't think was possible, I felt my hair growing rapidly till the end of my back, my muscles grew bigger and a humongous power shot through my bones, but I couldn't hold it. I tried to grab it back, but it was like an elastic band: the power shot back all at once from where they came from. I fell to the ground on all fours, panting like a dog. And then I collapsed; exhausted...

_Hello again! :D I love hearing from you guys so why don't you review? Tell me what you thought about these chapters, what your opinion about the new or old characters __is or you could give me some suggestions for the plot..._

Well then, until next week!


	7. Chapter 6: Deserted

**CHAPTER 6: Deserted**

I lay on the ground, gasping for air; it hurt when I breathed. I ran a hand across my upper torso and flinched as a sudden pain shot through my body; I had some broken ribs.

"Here, drink this, it's a healing potion." A soothing voice told me and gave me a bottle holding a blue-ish liquid. I downed the vile in one gulp.

"Hmmm, fruity" I exclaimed surprised, I thought it was going to taste excruciatingly bad, like all medicine with healing abilities had, even the bitter sensu bean. "Thank you." I thanked him and dusted my gi off with my hands while I got up.

"Wow, talk about a bone crushing power." Magisterial exclaimed as he help me to my feet.

"Yeah, I am so sorry sir, I couldn't hold it, I had it, and I felt it! But I just couldn't hold on to it." I apologized.

"Why are you apologising? There is no need for that! It seems that your body and mind is not mature enough to access such a power yet. I suggest that we build up the power in your base form first." He turned around, deep in thought. "Follow me."

We walked back up the stairs and past the kitchen; I have never been here before, I realised as I noticed my new surroundings. This area was thicker with vegetation; it was like a jungle, complete with animals, or what I assumed was animals, scurrying away from us and swinging from tree to tree. Draco suddenly popped in out of nowhere, interrupting my admiration; he had a few bruises on his small body and floated with a limp.

"Oh, Draco, I didn't realise you were blown away by my tantrum-throwing power. Let me find you to make sure you are alright; you could have easily got stuck in a tree, struggling to untangle your tiny body from the branches while being attacked by big birds who think you are their next meal." Draco said sarcastically in a bad, squeaky, impersonation of my voice.

"Pfft, I don't sound like that." I retorted.

"Oh you do in my mind..." He stated angrily.

I laughed. "So in your mind I am a five year old girl?"

He looked me up and down. "Do you really want an answer?" He asked sarcastically.

I shrugged. "Sure why not?"

He rolled his eyes at me. "Someone's Mommy clearly didn't teach the function of sarcasm to her little pumpkin."

I snorted. "On the contrary Draco, I am more educated than a university graduate; thanks to my mommy. I could outwit you any day of the week." Challenge clung to my voice.

"Bring in on small fry." We shared an intense stare battle, until Magisterial broke us up.

"Stop your bickering!" He scolded. "You two could have been brothers!" He said, waving his hands defeated in the air while muttering something incoherently.

Draco snorted in disgust. "Me; brothers with him?" He looked at me and frowned in disgust. "I could never be related to this, _vermin_."

I scoffed. "You would have been so privileged to share my DNA, but no thank you. I already have an obnoxious sister. She is more than enough for me."

He stared at me. "I hate you." He sneered. His face twisted into a funny scowl; it was hard not to laugh at it.

"No you don't." I contradicted, hoping I could get him to make a funnier expression. But before he could utter his next words Magisterial interrupted.

"You know Draco, hate and love are located directly next to each other in the brain; it is very easy to confuse these two emotions with each other." He stated, winking at me. "That's why the majority of people fall in love with someone they claimed to hate."

Draco scoffed. "Maybe in a weak human brain yes, but my brain is special. Emotions get filtered into sections you see. I store happy feelings in my right brain and bad feelings in my left." He looked at me with a grimace. "Let's play a game shall we? The first one, who guesses in which part of the brain Gohan has a permanent residence in, correctly, gets a pat on the back."

I shook my head. "I am not an emotion dude. Get your own messed up bad-thought-out facts straight." I flicked his ear and joined Magisterial who was far ahead of us by now.

"This is _not_ over!" Draco yelled.

I looked back at him over my shoulder and flashed a big toothy smile. "Yes it is!"

We halted when we reached a medium-sized wooden shed. The old door opened with a high-pitched squeak; a shiver ran down my spine as the sound reached my ears. Magisterial disappeared into it. I heard the clinging of metal and rattling of chains before he came out holding four small red bands in his hands.

"Put them on." He instructed.

I put the two smaller bands around my wrists and the two larger ones around my ankles. I twisted them around to make them sit comfortably. I punched the air a few times, but I felt no difference. Hmm, I thought this was going to be some sort of weighted bands or something.

"Okay, what's so special about these sweatbands?" I asked, examining the bands from every angle.

"Hmmmm, what do you think Draco, should we start him off easy?" Magisterial asked when Draco joined us after a while. It was the first time I saw Magisterial with a devious smile on his lips.

Draco mimicked the smile. "No Your Gloriousness, he will get spoilt! He is a tough kid, let's see him in action." He was stifling a laugh.

I raised an eyebrow at their mysterious conversation. "What are you guys talking...?" I started.

"50 tons." Magisterial interrupted me and I fell to the ground.

I tried to stand up again but failed miserably. I could barely lift my arms and legs! "Are these weighted wristbands?" I asked as gravity pushed me down with incredible force.

"Aren't you a smart one?" Draco exclaimed sarcastically.

Magisterial spoke up. "You are not allowed to remove these bands under any circumstance, not that you can; but nevertheless. You are also prohibited from transforming into one of your Super Saiyan forms; the bands restrict your ki too, which means that you will remain in your base form at all times, unless instructed otherwise by me. Our training will continue when you reach my house." He looked at me, seeing my confused expression. "Any questions?"

"Sir, you want me to reach your quarters with these weights on?" I asked in disbelief, hoping he would say 'of course not.' He didn't say anything; his expression spoke for itself. "But I can't even lift myself from the ground! And your house is halfway around the planet from here." I complained.

"Don't be so negative!" He reprimanded me sternly. "You will just have to find an alternative, dear boy." He tousled my hair. "Training is over for today, you may continue with anything else you want to."

"Does this mean I can take the bands off?" I tried, with a sheepish smile spread across my face, like Dad taught me to do when trying get out of tough situations.

Magisterial gave me a stern look and snapped his fingers. The once beautiful and luscious surroundings turned into a dry wasteland. "Come on Draco, let's get lunch ready." They walked off into the horizon together.

"Wait you cannot leave me here!" I yelled after them. My stomach growled right on time to protest. "I will starve to death!" My cry turned more desperate.

"Don't be silly Gohan, lunch will be served in an hour; you just have to get there!" Draco mocked and laughed.

I grunted as I watched them walking away in the direction of the kitchen, I sniffed sorrowfully, _where the food is_, not looking back even once. I sighed and tried to stand up. But I was not strong enough to lift my, now, heavy body.

I tried to stand up a magnitude of times, but that just resulted in me kissing the dirt passionately every single time.

This is hopeless! If only I could go super!

I powered up to the max of my base form, remembering Magisterial's demand, and tried once again to stand. I lifted my butt into the air effortlessly; thank goodness he didn't give me weighted underwear!

I shifted all my weight to my legs and tried to push my upper torso up. I fell down a few times, but that didn't bring me down. I just got back in position and tried again.

It took me nearly an hour to stand on my two feet, but miraculously I managed to defy gravity. Okay, now I just have to find a way to walk. I stared at my right foot, encouraging it to move. I summoned some energy and moved my right foot about an inch forward, soon followed by my left foot; I continued this action for a few metres.

Sweat was dripping off my forehead after just a few minutes and I hunched my shoulders out of exhaustion for just a second.

_Big mistake._

I fell to the ground with a magnificent speed and came crashing down, leaving a gigantic crater behind.

"Great, just great!" I yelled out in frustration. Now I have to climb up this thing too.

I have never felt so frustrated in my life; but I refuse to give up. I raked my brain for ideas on how to effectively get back up, using the minimum energy. All my physic lessons flashed through my head, but no effective way came to mind.

I sighed and began to leopard crawl out of the ditch. My arms screamed in pain with every pull, but I ignored them. In half an hour I was out of the ditch and continued like this to Magisterial's quarters.

* * *

My body was now screaming at me to stop, but I knew that if I stopped I wouldn't continue. I forced myself to proceed. Buckets of sweat poured out of my body, I became dizzy; I haven't eaten or drank a thing in a day; but nevertheless I went on. I started counting to drift my mind's attention away from the exhaustion and pain.

After two days Draco showed up out of nowhere with a neon sign saying '_Halfway' _clutched in his stubby paws. I was so happy to see another living being; my dry lips cracked a smile at his sight. I crawled to his feet.

"W...water." I choked out while resting my head in his shadow, burying my head in the sand.

The excruciating sun was frying my skin; when I get back to Magisterial's house I will just need a dash of salt and pepper and would be ready to eat! I thought bitterly.

"Dehydrating..." I coughed out and looked up at him with pleading eyes. I was actually shocked to see Draco's eyes fill with pity.

"I am sorry little man, but my hands are tied; I am not exactly allowed to talk to you." His eyes widened and his hands flew to his mouth, covering it. "Now I already said more than I had to!" He zapped away quickly.

"No!" I whimpered frustrated. I sank my head defeated into the hot sand. I am so tired.

My body couldn't take it anymore. I froze and my eyes fell shut almost instantly, but I forced them open. Then I saw it.

Are my eyes deceiving me?! A puddle! I advanced to it as fast as my worn-out little limbs could carry me, which quite frankly was as fast as master Roshi's turtle after a few shots of tequila; but surely, I reached the only source of water I have seen in two days and feasted in the beauty that was water.

I decided to rest here for the night; I won't be able to move through the night, not again. I fell into a deep slumber immediately.

The bright sunlight woke me in the morning. I let out an annoyed cry; I don't want to get up yet, but it was impossible to ignore the bright light streaming in through my eyelids. Stupid son is mocking me! It thinks that it is so high and mighty there up in the sky. Its rays are screaming happiness, as if they are exclaiming: "All it right with the world." I scoffed angrily. "Stop mocking me!" I yelled aimlessly at the bright burning demon. I slurped up a few more helpings of water and crawled onwards. I realised that I could move easier; I could almost swear that I am moving at my normal pace now.

My clothes were wasting away by now; it was barely still there and the sun burned my exposed flesh. I stopped and rested my head on the sand for just a few seconds, the sand felt like a pillow under my throbbing head. I begrudgingly started to crawl again; the sooner I get started, the sooner I will finish, I chanted over and over to myself for motivation. I lifted my head, looking into the horizon to see if I could get a sign that I was nearing my destination. My eyes rested on a marvellous beauty...

An oases!

My tongue ran over my lips as I saw fruits and a waterfall calling my name. I slowly neared my salvation, but to my dismay, it was a fluke; a mirage. I let out a frustrated cry and headed north again. I crawled for a few more hours and after a while I could not feel my arms anymore; they were now just like robotic parts, barely following commands. My muscles quavered out of fatigue.

After about another six miles I reached a crater. Hmmm this crater looks very familiar... "NOOOOOO!" I yelled as I realised that it was the same crater I created when I fell a few days earlier; my drag marks were still imprinted on the slope. I have been walking in circles! I went right around the planet and past Magisterial's house without realising it.

I snapped; I haven't eaten or drunken anything in three days dammit! I was so frustrated and angry; adrenaline started to flow through my veins rapidly. I stood upright in one swift movement and walked with the weights. I was starting to get used to this, I realised happily.

My steps were fuelled by rage and I could actually walk at my normal pace now, and after just a few miles I willed myself to run. I summoned all my remaining energy and willpower and sprinted in what I thought the direction of Magisterial's house was. It took me no more than an hour to reach a Victorian style house with a marvellous garden between two mountains. It contrasted drastically with the horrible barren landscape. This must be it. Thank goodness.

I walked up his stone pathway and knocked on the door. He opened the door slowly and smiled at me. "I'm here" I said weakly and collapsed...

...

I awoke in my bedroom. I smiled as my comfortable mattress formed perfectly around my sore body. There was not an inch on my body that didn't hurt. I sat upright; hmmm, feels like the bands are heavier than before, oh it's probably just the pain talking.

I got out of bed and headed towards the bathroom. The shower made me feel calm. The water fell like satin on my skin as I analyzed every tiny aspect of my life.

I got dressed and headed to the kitchen. I was welcomed with the heavenly scent of pancakes and bacon. I engulfed everything on my plate and more. After I had finished my meal, I waited for Magisterial at the training grounds. I didn't wait long. He arrived instantly.

"Gohan I am so proud of you!" He exclaimed happily. "No one has ever reached my home in such a fast pace. Congratulations." He looked me over. "Ah, and I see you have adjusted to the additional 5 ton also, good job."

"You did make my bands heavier." I accused.

"Indeed, I will add 5 ton on each band, every day. You get used to the extra weight very quickly, so I presume that it is not going to be a problem."

"So what are we going to do today?" I asked, changing the subject.

He smiled. "Today we are going to train you mind." He stated and threw a lot of books in my arms. "You mean like school?" I asked confused after I got a good look at the books; I saw algebra, literature and science scribbled on the covers.

"Exactly like school my dear boy. You didn't think we were just going to concentrate on strength and power, did you?" I shook my head. "Good guess." He smiled. "We must keep the brain sharp too, son." He explained. "Strategy is very important in battle. If you know the laws of physics and mathematics you can implement the knowledge in your battles and outwit a warrior even more powerful than yourself." He looked at me. "You have to find the perfect balance between brawn and brains; then you will be unbeatable. And I think it's a shame that you know so few about your Saiyan heritage." He smiled. "We are going to change that."

I studied for the entire day; I almost felt back at home, with mother's stern eyes watching my every move. I was exhausted by lunchtime. After a long day, and yet another 5 ton added, I relaxed in front of the fireplace. The sound of the crackling fire was like a lullaby and I drifted off into a deep sleep with a smile on my face...


	8. Chapter 7: Confessions

CHAPTER 7: Confessions

Time went by fast. We have trained altogether for seven months now; it was just two weeks away from the martial arts tournament. I learned Saiyago, the Saiyan language very quickly. I was fluent in only four short months. My power grew rapidly over the months and my body could bear 2000 tons by now. I am sure that I would be able to sustain the third SS-transformation by now; I can't wait to get these bands off!

Magisterial made me lap around the entire planet three times with 500 tons on each limb. I completed the laps in record time; "Good job Gohan," Magisterial praised. "You broke the previous record!"

I bowed. "Thank you, thank you." I waved at an invisible crowd. "Autographs are available with yours truly after my current training session." I said dramatically; Draco is starting to rub off on me: he really is contagious!

Magisterial smiled. "So what do you say about taking these ghastly things off for good?" He asked pointing at the bands.

I shrugged "It doesn't really matter to me; I am used to it either way." I said coolly, not wanting to seem over-eager. I just want these damn things off!

He clapped his hands together. "On to new horizons then; Draco will you do the honours?"

"Me?" Draco asked puzzled pointing at himself. Magisterial playfully looked around. "I don't see another Draco here, so you will have to do it."

He stood up proudly with an extended chest. "It will be a pleasure." He said and added a respectful bow. He spit on his paws and slapped them against each other a few times.

He started to pull a band from my right arm slowly. I raised an eyebrow at his pace. "What's wrong grandma?" I taunted.

He sent an irritated glare my way. "I don't want to hurt you fragile little body; which is, compared to my rock hard structure, papier-mâché." He always had an answer for everything! I rolled my eyes at his arrogance. "Keep telling yourself that, maybe you will trick your small brain into believing all your little lies one day."

He shrugged. "Jealousy is an ugly colour on you."

"The only thing I am jealous about you is your ability to crawl into small spaces and hide while I get all the action and actually have to fight." I said sarcastically.

He inhaled sharply. "That was only one time! And it wasn't even a real battle; His Brilliantness planned the whole drill!" He defended.  
"But you didn't even know it was fake, Draco-ula!" I interjected and smiled at my little nickname for him.

"It's called acting, maybe you have heard about it?" He retorted sarcastically.

"Oh sure," I rolled my eyes. "Shaking like a palm tree in a tornado requires real talent!"

"The truth will set you free brother."

I laughed. "Whatever" He was impossible to reason with!

He managed to wiggle the first band off, but flew into the dirt with the band as a result. A massive crater formed under his small body. He rose slowly. "How much to you have on?" He yelled.

"Just 500 tons, each," I shrugged, "no biggie."

His mouth fell agape and laughed nervously. "I think you can handle the rest big boy." He said while patting my back.

I laughed. "Don't mind if I do. You take forever; I will hit puberty before you are finished." I mocked and removed the bands in three swift movements. It felt like I weighed nothing. Draco threw his hands up in the air in defeat. "Nobody ever appreciates Draco; no Draco is a slave to the beings whose bodies consist out of 80% muscles!" He spat looking at me. I planted a sympathetic pout on my lips. "Poor baby" I said while catching him in a headlock. "You want more attention?" I asked lovingly while pinching his chubby cheeks. He gave me a death stare that would have send shivers down the spines of the most hardened warriors.

I gave him a noogie in return and loosened my grip. He wiggled out of my hold and fumed. If this were a cartoon fire would have spat out of his ears and nose. "My. Hair. Was. Perfect!" He yelled tempestuously. He rushed off in the opposite while mumbling insults. I can't believe he calls those four little withered pieces of string hair.

"Run around the planet." Magisterial instructed when I returned to him. I did as he asked and sped around the whole planet in three seconds. "Wow!" I exclaimed in awe. "This is amazing!"  
"I told you that I would pay off." He stated wisely. "Let's see if you can hold the third transformation of Super Saiyan now."

Don't mind if I do! I transformed directly into my SS2 state; skipping the first transformation entirely. I took a deep breath and tapped into the vastness of the third state of the Super Saiyan transformation; and miraculously enough, I released it without error and held it without any struggle. My hair grew rapidly to the end of my back again. I stopped yelling and stood still, admiring the power of my new transformation. My muscles were more defined and large in this state and a lightning more intense than that of my second transformation surrounded my body.

I felt the power running through my arms as I made a fist. "This is amazing!" I said slowly, taking in the awesomeness.

Magisterial moved towards me; but I wanted to test my new speed. I sped around the planet five times and smiled to myself. Magisterial didn't even notice that I had moved. This is radical!

"I am glad you can hold this power." He said, interrupting my admiration. "But you can only use this form under extreme circumstances." He ordered sternly. I frowned questioningly. "B...but, why?" I whined. "Look at your surroundings." He instructed. The once luscious green valley was a barren wasteland now. I cringed. "Oh..." He tapped his foot on the ground once and it turned back to normal.

"I am not an unreasonable man son." He put his hands on my shoulders and smiled. "I think it is time for your first solo mission."

I smiled excitedly. "Really, what kind of mission are we talking about?" I asked intrigued.

"Well, I sense some disturbance in the southern quadrant..."

"Oh?" I fished for more information.

"On the planet, Zenith, a space pirate has threatened the lives of the Zenenets. He is wiping all the life on planet off; wanting to sell the planet to other overlords. I am ordering you to defeat the space pirate, Captain Jedrick the third. I think that it will be a superb chance to experiment the limitations of your new transformation. So go off and get ready; you will leave first thing in the morning."

"How am I going to get there, sir?" I asked.

"By space travel of course; you have your own little spaceship; it travels in light-years." He chuckled when he saw my hesitant expression. "Don't fret son, it is a simple piece of machinery; it is very easy to operate: you basically have to enter the coordinates and push one button and the ship does the rest." He explained.

"And none of my students will roam the universe without the proper clothing, Draco?" Draco gave me, what appeared to be, a new gi. Indeed, it was a light blue gi and Magisterial's symbol was printed on the back. "Thank you sir" He nodded with a smile and was off.

I slept well that night, excited to test my new abilities and strength.

The next morning I packed in what I considered a 'small' lunch and a few books I found in my cabin; I didn't want to get bored. Magisterial said that the trip will last no more than two hours. I said my goodbyes and buckled up; ready for my mission.

The ship blasted off in a magnificent speed; but I wasn't fazed, I was used to extreme forces of gravity by now.

I dove into one of the books I brought once the turbulence was over. It was a book about Magisterial through time and his entire list of students. I smiled; someday I will be printed in one of these pages.

I paged through the book, noticing that he didn't have that many pupils; I counted thirteen. They all looked like decent fighters, differencing in size and age: some in their teens and others older than my dad, but I didn't recognize anyone near my age, except for one boy, apparently Kilnoh, who looked around fourteen years old.

I carefully went through all the pages, until something caught my eye. I could just barely make Magisterial Kai out with one of his students, Raphael was scribbled under him. The picture was crossed out with a bright red marker and 'the destroyer of worlds' was written across the photo. That's strange. My curiosity acted up; I will be sure to ask Magisterial about this when I get back, but for now... I gazed out of my spaceship's window; a pale yellowish planet came into view... I have to defend another world.

My ship landed in the middle of what appears to be some garden. The inhabitants were all yellow, matching their planet, without a trace of hair on their bodies. Their flawless skin looked as if it was made of rubber and they all had big black eyes without pupils.

Many Zenenets were distraught by my landing, running frantically in circles and screaming: "Another one!" They probably thought I was with that Jedrick character.

"Whoa!" I shouted, putting my hands defensively in the air. "I am not with Jedrick, I am a good guy." I smiled warmly. A few Zenenets still looked petrified and backed away slowly from me, not wanting any unwanted attention falling on them. "I am here to kill Jedrick and save your planet." I continued. Some of them seemed to relax a bit at my statement but the majority still seemed frightened. I don't have time for this. "Would any of you be so kind to point me in the direction of the guy killing your people?" I asked kindly. One of the Zenenets walked closer towards me, his body was stiff out of fear. He didn't say anything; he just pointed one of his four trembling fingers in a left direction.

"Thank you sir!" I said grateful and blasted off into the sky in the direction he pointed.

This planet was a mess. Smoke rose from the debris in towns I crossed and a horrible stench; probably of rotting corpses clung like glue to the air. I breathed through my mouth; avoiding to get nauseated by the ghastly smell.

I didn't fly too far before finding my prey. It was hard to not see him, Jedrick was enormous! I guessed his height to rival a five story building.

Hmmm, he was not like the pirates that I encountered on earth: he didn't have the conventional eye patch, captain's hat or parrot on the shoulder. Instead he was an unearthly green, scales for skin and he was clothed in all-white with a bald head. Disappointing.

I could see some red splatter on his jacket; that made me frown deeply in despair. How many of Zenenet-warriors sacrificed their lives to protect their planet from this beast?

I swallowed my anger and spoke to the savage; he was busy crushing some houses between his thumb and forefinger. "Are one the one they call Jedrick?" He ignored me flatly. "Are you Jedrick?" I repeated, much louder. He noticeably flinched and rubbed his pointy ear. "Sheesh, did ye mother not teach thee manners?" He said angrily in a heavy accent.

I frowned confusedly at his strong accent. If I was not mistaken, he was talking, what we called on earth, Shakespearian language.

"So are you Jedrick, yes or no?" I asked again.

He let out a deep sigh. "That I heed, aye." He answered. "But what business is my heed of thee?"

It took me a few seconds to mentally decipher his strange way of speaking; I wished I had paid more attention to Romeo and Juliet. "I am Gohan, pupil of Magisterial Kai, and I was sent to put an end to your evil ways!" I smiled internally at my heroic declaration.

"Oh?" He asked arrogantly. "Thy hast not the strength to send me tumbling through death's door, brethren." He shrugged. "But I whilst not leave a challenge unanswered. Hit me with thy best shot." He got into a fighting stance.

I shook my head in response to his arrogance and kicked him through the face. He did not move an inch at the impact and my foot got stuck in his cheek. What the... I never finished that sentence: I was thrown into a building a few yards away; making it collapse to the ground with me underneath it...

I powered up to SS2, blasting all the debris into oblivion. A warm liquid flowed down my face slowly. I lifted my hand and touched it, my fingers returned red. Blood. I was surprised that such a weak attack caused me to shed blood, but nevertheless I fled to the scene again, flying right towards Jedrick's stomach at an incredible speed. I felt his skin tear under my head as I flew right through him.

He had a hole in his abdomen now but he did not seem damaged at all; he didn't even flinch! He turned around and faced me. "My turn to act." He launched his gigantic body straight at me.

I dodged and blocked a flurry of kicks and punches he was sending my way; it was not that difficult, his size affected his speed harshly for the worse.

I had enough of this; time to bring out the big guns. I fazed out of his site, causing him to stutter forward and almost fall. He grunted agitated. "Child? Where art thou?" He yelled looking frantically around him.

Hmmm, he cannot sense ki. This is going to be easier than I thought.

I uttered a scream as I transformed into SS3. That got Mr. Big Shot's attention; his head spun around to my location and turned his head askew while frowned in confusion at my new appearance. I snapped my knuckles and neck. Let's do this.

I rushed to his side before he had time to blink; I punched him in the stomach, he tumbled forward due to the impact but he still didn't seem damaged. What is it with this guy? I tugged my arm back but realised that it got stuck yet again; his skin was like glue! I ripped my fist out of his abdomen before he could strike me and made a few summersaults backward as I got away from his slow approaching foot.

Okay, so physical attacks are useless against him, I strategized while dodging his blows. "Thy be still or thy will show regret!" He yelled interrupting my thoughts. "I am trying to think here!" I yelled irritated and released a fit of energy to blow him away. He tried to resist my power radiating towards him, but it was futile; he crashed into a building a few miles away.

The only option I have left is to disintegrate him with my ki. That thought made me think back to my battle with Cell; I visibly flinched at the memory but shook it off. I have to stay focussed.

I sped to the nearest mountain, creating a huge gap between us. I summoned all of my energy and charged a Kamehameha wave. His eyes widened in horror and he tried to outrun the wave.

He failed miserably.

The wave connected with his body and exploded. The explosion emitted a strong wind, causing debris to fly around widely. I covered my face with my arms and waited for the explosion to settle. My hands slid next to my body again as I felt the life force of Jedrick fade to nothing.

My gentle heart filled with remorse and guilt. Death is a terrible thing, no matter how evil the deceased was or how much you see it. I exhaled slowly. "Sorry." I muttered under my breath and headed back to the Zenenets.

"He is dead; you can live your lives in peace now." I stated heroically when I arrived at the garden-type place.

There was a short silence while the villagers looked each other in disbelief, but a cheer followed soon after. All the citizens were around me in seconds: thanking and hugging me, some even kissed my feet. This is awkward...

"People it was nothing really! Please, I don't need this much gratitude." I said uncomfortably.

"No brave warrior," one Zenenet bejewelled like a king said bowing to me, everyone else followed. "Let us show you our thanks; please choose any woman you like." He said, pointing at the crowd. A blush formed on my cheeks. "Gosh, no, you don't owe me anything." I said.

"But you saved our civilisation from extinction, there must be some way we can express our gratitude?" Right on cue my stomach rumbled. The village king looked at me and smiled. He turned around, facing his people and raised his hands above his head. "Prepare a great feast for our young hero."

As I returned to my ship the Zenenets were waving me farewell. I waved back at them. A happy feeling settled in my stomach. I saved an entire civilisation, I thought proudly. At least I serve a purpose in this messed-up cruel world.

I entered the coordinates of Magisterial's realm and pushed the button to blastoff. I rubbed my full round belly before I fell asleep. I awoke as the ship began making landing noises. I buckled up, bracing myself for the impact of landing.

Magisterial was there to welcome me back when I returned. "How did it go?" He asked curiously and looked at his watch. "I didn't expect you to get back so soon, all went well I presume?"

"Yes, my new strength made for an easy victory." I hesitated, looking at the book in my hands. I wonder if I should ask him about it.

"Sir, I stumbled onto something strange in one of the books I found in my cabin..." I trailed off.

"What is it son?" He encouraged.

"Well, see for yourself." Not knowing how to put it in words; I opened the book to that specific page and pointed to the photograph.

Magisterial got a distant look in his eyes and he snatched the book out of my hands. "This is none of your concern." He stated with venom in his voice. "But, sir?" I pressed, confused by his behaviour. He held my gaze and raised his eyebrow menacingly. "If you ever speak of this again..." He said threatingly pointing at the book. "This is none of your business and I would suggest that you would no longer meddle in my belongings, understand?"

I flinched at the malice of his statement and nodded slowly, not able to function my mouth.

"Good." He said and rushed off.

My heart was beating fast after our odd confrontation. I have never seen him act like this before. I turned to the stunned Draco next to me and mouthed the words: 'What was that about?' He shook his head frantically with big frightened eyes and drew his thumb across his throat. He knows but can't tell me...

I went to the training field, wanting to get some exercise before bed and clear my head. I punched and kicked the air millions of times in my base form. This is actually a very good training technique Magisterial drew up, because if I get stronger in my base form, it automatically raises my SS-powers.

I felt Magisterial's ki coming towards me, but I was hesitant to greet him after his recent outburst.

"You are training late." He noted, looking at the dark sky.

"My first mentor said that it is never too late or early to train, and the tournament is coming up, so..." I said, remembering Piccolo's lectures.

"Indeed there is that." He said.

There was an awkward vibe in the air between us.

"Gohan, I apologise for my hissy-fit earlier; I was caught off guard by your question and reacted badly, again, I am sorry." He apologized.

I shrugged. "It is okay, I get annoying sometimes, Draco is contagious you know." I winked at him, trying to lighten the heavy mood. It worked, he laughed. "True, true" He looked at me kindly. "You are my student and I am obligated to share everything you would like me to share, there shouldn't be secrets between a student and his sensei."

"Sir it is alright, I don't have to know. No hard feelings." I said, not pressuring him.

"Please let me finish. If I would expect you to trust me I must return the favour." He hesitated, struggling to choose the right words. "His name was Raphael, the boy in the picture, he was one of my most promising students, before you, and not that much older than you, seventeen, I recall. He was a fast learner and mastered all off his techniques in record times, but I always felt this lingering darkness inside his heart, but foolishly, I ignored it. He grew stronger with each passing day and after a while he had the desire to unearth the z-sword, a magical sword located not far from here, but he couldn't, no matter of his incredible strength, release the sword from its resting place."

He let out a deep sad sigh. "I told him that he would never be able to claim the sword, because only a person who is pure of heart can claim it. He lost control and tried to destroy the podium the sword was embedded in, but failed. He blamed me for his misfortunes and wasting his time for the past six years; so he tried to kill me as punishment, but I fought him off and he blasted off into space after I defeated him."

He sank his head in shame. "I should have killed him when I had the chance, but I couldn't, I grew fond of him, Gohan." He looked at me seeking comfort. "I understand." I consoled him. "If I were in your shoes, I would have done the same."

He smiled at me in despair and returned to his story. "He is now known as Raphael, the Destroyer of Worlds; in short, he is the baddest of the bad. I sent one of my other students, Gailo; he is head of my Magisterial Guard, the elite defence squad, to end Raphael's life. But sadly he was no match for his power and fell defeated. He miraculously outwitted Raphael, by using his arrogance against him in the end and sealed him in an inescapable realm. You see Gohan; this is why I say you have to find the perfect balance between brawn and brains to be the ultimate warrior." He smiled at me. "You are the first pupil I have taken under my wings since Raphael."

I listened with awe at his story. "Why did you decide to make me your student after all these years?" I questioned.

His smile was mixed with sadness and happiness. "The world suffers a lot Gohan, not because of the violence bad people inflict, but of the silence of good people. I want to develop the abilities of the most pure people I can, while I am still able to."

He put his hand on my shoulder and directed me back to my cabin. "Go get some rest, tomorrow is a big day..."

* * *

_Hey there! Thank you for reading my new chapters! I hope you enjoyed it as much I liked writing it... Please tell me what you thought about it! I would love to hear what goes on in your mind!_

_Untill next time! _

_XXX Wilmi_


	9. Chapter 8:: Tournament

_Hey everybody! Thank you again for all the new subscribers and reviewers._

Rawr: Thank you so much! And don't worry; I have my own plan for the plot. I just borrowed the fact that Gohan was whisked off to another realm from ZAT, the story will further progress according to my imagination. Be warned... *insert epic evil laugh.* XD

Dr. Blue22: Thank you! I will try my best to live up to your expectations! *no pressure!* haha :D

_Son-Gokyou__: Thank you, and yes, there will be a little reunion very soon, but not with Goku, at first... But father and son will definitely be reunited later on...He will not age because he is dead and there won't be Gohan pairings in this story, but definitely in the sequel! (Sorry, I don't want to spoil anything major at this point :D)_

Guest: *blushes* Thank you so much for such kind words!

_Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN DBZ, if I could, I would have, but that is not the point..._

_*Enjoy!_

**CHAPTER 8: Tournament**

"You are late." Magisterial stated angrily when Draco and I finally arrived at the tournament. He looked at me expectantly, wanting an explanation for my tardiness. "I am sorry sir, but Draco here got lost." I said nodding at him next to me. "He..."

Draco interrupted my explanation. "Hey, hey, hey, there is no reason to bring me into this equation." He defended himself. "Do you know how hard it is to create a portal when a certain somebody," he directed to me, "is rushing you and criticizing something you have been doing since the beginning of time." He spat.

I rolled my eyes. "You are oversensitive!" I exclaimed.

"Oversensitive?" he repeated, agitated. We both started to yell at each other simultaneously while waving our hands angrily around our bodies. Magisterial interrupted our quarrel by putting a finger on each of our mouths. "You will not behave like toddlers here!" I looked around and saw that a few people were staring at us. "I don't care what happened just sort your problems out in private, not when the whole universe is gawking at you!" He looked at me sternly. "Gohan, I have already signed you up. You are up in two turns in the preliminary rounds. Go to your station," He pointed in the direction of a big closed wooden door. "And remember, you are not allowed to transform into your third Super Saiyan transformation." I nodded and headed towards the room he pointed to while he and Draco found some seats for them in the pavilion.

As I entered, the doorman gave me a nametag and competitor number. The room was filled with fighters five times my size. But I didn't feel threatened at all, their power levels, compared to mine, was not that impressive.

"Who let the baby in?" A big ogre asked rhetorically, noticing my entrance. I sighed. Here we go... "Hey kid, do you want us to help you find your mommy." His group laughed at his poor joke. I hate it when people underestimate me.

"Thank you, sir, but that won't be necessary." I smiled warmly at them, ignoring his mocks. "I am actually participating in the tournament." I said while showing them my tag and competitor number.

The ogre grabbed his big round belly and laughed. He had a deep laugh, reminding me of a clown. I don't like clowns... His whole body shook at the motion of his snickers and his belly actually vibrated; his fat jiggled like there was no tomorrow! I frowned in disgust and swallowed a mini-vomit. Couldn't he at least have worn a shirt?

"Did you hear that fellas? The little baby is participating in the big boy league." His group laughed again. "Good one boss!" One of his minions exclaimed with an untoothy smile (three teeth peeked shyly out of his mouth) and gave him a high five. I shook my head slowly at their "wittiness." I turned around and walked off into the opposite direction; I really hope I get to fight at least one of these morons in the tournament.

I examined the room I was in; it wasn't that well-decorated. A few stray stools stood here and there offering comfort to exhausted warriors and withered flowers occupied every corner of the room. Posters of the previous champions decorated the walls. A filthy odour clung to the air; no wonder, millions of garbage pieces stuck to the tiled-floor; despite the numerous trashcans in the room.

I walked to the window facing the tournament-ring so I could see the fight occurring now.

My eyes widened as I saw one of the competitors. From afar he looked just like a Namekian, like Piccolo. I leaned from the window, trying to get a better look. He was wearing a cape and turban too and had pointy ears. Could he really be a...?

"Pikkon is the winner!" The announcer interrupted my thoughts. Pikkon's opponent lay on the ground motionless; the medics came to his rescue and carried him out on a stretcher while he twitched in pain. Pikkon didn't show any emotions on his face, he tugged his hand from the announcer's and walked in even strides back down the pathway from the ring to where I was standing.

I couldn't help but stare at him as he entered the room. As he got closer I realised that he wasn't Namekian; his skin may have been that same mossy green and he may have had the same peculiar clothing as Piccolo, but that was where the similarities stopped. He was built leanly and his head did look a little small for his big muscular exterior. He didn't have a nose and had medium-sized red eyes.

"What?" He asked uncomfortably when our eyes met.

"You looked just like one of my friends back on earth from a distance, but you have almost no resemblance to him up close." I explained.

"Uh, good to know" He shifted uncomfortably and extended his arm. "I'm Pikkon from the West Quadrant." I shook his hand. "I am Gohan, from earth, nice to make your acquaintance." I smiled at him. "Quite a grip you have here, kid." He said rubbing his hand.

"Thanks; I have known martial arts since..."  
"Can Gohan and Caterpy please report to the ring?" I stopped mid-sentence. "Guess I am up."

I walked down the pathway and jumped gracefully onto the ring. I scrutinised my opponent. He was a giant caterpillar with gloves on all his sixteen arms; wearing bright blue trousers. He was emitting green-yellow slime, I noticed in disgust, which was lying all around the ring by now. I shivered in revolt by the green goo surrounding every inch of me.

"I didn't sign up to babysit!" That worm complained to the announcer. I sighed again deeply; why can't I be taken seriously in the fighting world?

The announcer, who looked like a real-life version of an evil mushroom from Super Mario, waved his hands discouraged in the air. "I don't make the rules mister, speaking of rules," His voice got louder. "If you fall from the ring, start to cry or give up, you lose the match. And poking in the eye or hitting below the belt are just plain mean and are not allowed in this tournament. Needless to say you can't kill anybody in this tournament because they are already dead." He jumped off the ring and blew a whistle. "Let the match begin!" He yelled and the crowd started to cheer.

"GOHAN!" I heard Draco's voice instantly, louder than all the masses. "Crush him like the worm he is! Go Gohan!" I followed his ki to his seat and signalled him a thumbs up with a smile.

I got into a fighting stance and faced the giant worm. "Ready?" I asked him, unsure if he really wanted to fight; he slumped lazily back and forth and wore a bored expression on his squishy face. He shrugged, as if it took great effort to do such a small motion, he spat a piece of gum he had been chewing out on a tile next to him, I grimaced at his sloppiness.

"Sure, let's get this over with." He said and walked towards me slowly; my eyes never left his approaching figure. He stood right in front of me now; he scowled down at me. "I always get the bums." He complained out loud and tried to shove me. He frowned, confused that I didn't budge at the impact and tried to shove me at least another twenty more times.

I sighed and blocked his arms with my elbow and swung it to the side effortlessly, causing him to bend forward. I smiled at him, our faces were now at the same altitude, and I punched him in the face with as little power I could muster. He skidded across the ring and landed flat on his back with a thud.

"Why do I always get the strong ones?" He moaned, contradicting his previous complaint while clasping two of his hands over his bleeding nose.

I walked towards him, planning to end the fight right now. "Not today brat!" He yelled at me and rolled onto his stomach. I stopped in my tracks as he started to glow a brilliant white. "What are you doing?" I asked him confused; his power wasn't rising so he can't be transforming into a more powerful form.

"I am transforming into my ultimate form. I will be done in 1200 years." He said as a cocoon formed around his body.

My eyes widened. I am not going to wait 1200 years for him to transform! Thank goodness he said it loud enough for the referee to hear. "I am sorry, Caterpy, but I will have to disqualify you; the fight has a one hour limit. "But..." He started to argue with the referee. "If you can't finish the fight in the next hour, you are out!" Caterpy refused to listen to reason and continued with his fruitless argument.

I couldn't take it anymore: I slowly flew to the worm, trying to avoid all the gross slime surrounding me, and poked him with my pinkie. He flew out of the ring and crashed into the opposing wall. The crowd cheered wildly!

"We have a winner!" The announcer exclaimed relieved. "Gohan advances to the next round!" I smiled, waved at the crowd and made my way back to the fighters' chamber.

The ogre and his henchmen were first to greet me. "So the baby got lucky in his first fight." He chanted in a monotone voice with his arms crossed over his big chest. "Just wait until you are in a real battle, with, I don't know, me." He said pointing at the fighting chart. "I hope your mommy brought extra diapers so she can change you." He laughed again, thinking he is so funny. I rolled my eyes at his lameness.

I suppressed a smile; I am going to fight that moron after all!

I turned around and walked away, before I could lose my temper and do something I regret. Hmpf, I doubt that I would regret putting those idiots in their place, but nevertheless.

"Hey kid, are those morons bothering you?" Pikkon asked while he leaned against a nearby wall. He saw the whole ordeal. I smiled at him. "Nothing I cannot handle." A vicious smile spread across my lips. "He is up against me in the next round." My smile grew deeper. I am going to show that moron whose boss. He returned the smile. "You look like a tough kid." He looked me up and down; he frowned sadly at my appearance. "Exactly how old are you?"

"Well I should have been twelve by now, but guess I am staying eleven forever." I said in the most cheerful voice I could. He gave a sympathetic smile. "You started training at a young age too?" I nodded. "My planet is always in danger. Not a year goes by without the peace being disturbed."

"I know the feeling." His smile grew grave. "At least my planet won't be targeted anymore; some bastard blew it up!" My heart broke when I saw the pain reflected in his eyes. "I am so sorry." I tried consoling him. "Why? You didn't do it." He retorted bitterly.

He looked me over once again. "I haven't seen you around here before. You should hang with me. We could have each others' backs." He invited with a pleasant smile. "I am sure West Kai will not mind an extra, strong, head."

I smiled, flattered. "I appreciate the offer so much, but I am currently in training with Magisterial Kai, so I will unfortunately have to pass." His eyes widened at the mention of Magisterial's name. "You are a student of the Magisterial Kai?" His mouth fell to the floor in disbelief. "So you must be pretty darn strong." He scratched his head. "Guess I will see you in the finals then. You better not hold out on me." He said threateningly. I gave a confident smile. "I don't plan on it."

The fight with the ogre, I didn't bother learning his name, didn't last long at all. He cracked a few more baby jokes, but slowly swallowed all his previous statements as I kneed him in the stomach. He stumbled over; gasping in pain. He raised his arms in defeat. "I give u..." He didn't have time to finish that sentence. I punched him through the face and attacked him full force with a flurry of kicks and punches. I kicked him in the air, and delivered the final blow to his head; he came crashing down to the ring, creating a dent in under him as he landed.

He lay like a ragdoll, limp, on the ring, but as I slowly neared his motionless body he shot up to his knees. "Please, don't hurt me." He begged and started crying. "I am sorry for insulting you! Please forgive me." He kissed my feet. Wow, he is pathetic.

"If you let me go, unharmed, I will stay out of your way for ever." He pleaded. I almost felt sorry for him, but that didn't stop me from having some last fun with him.

I leaned closer. I smiled as he flinched at my nearness. He was really scared to death at me. "But what if I want to see you more dead than you are right now?" I whispered menacingly. He yelped out of fear. "I am sure we can make some arrangements." His whole body shook violently out of fear.

I laughed out loud. "I am not going to hurt you man!" I couldn't keep up the charade anymore, I never was that good at acting. My laugh rang through the arena. I kicked him with as little power I could. He rolled off the ring like a ball and landed with a thump on the grass. I let out a victorious cry and the crowd cheered wildly for me. I smiled as I left the ring with my hands held victoriously above my head...

My next opponent was Arqua; his whole body consists out of light blue scales. He had long pointy ears and a fin on his head. He didn't seem that much of a threat; he was skinny and short, just a little taller than me and he had a major melancholy vibe.

I swiftly jumped on the arena while Draco cheered me on. Arqua walked so slowly and slumped towards me. He struggled climbing onto the ring; the announcer had to give him a boost. I turned my head askew as I perceived the sight. It doesn't look like he will put up that much of a fight. But he must be a good fighter if he has made it this far already...

"Let the fight begin!" The announcer called.

Arqua didn't get into a fighting stance. He swung side to side as if he were drunk. I sped next to him and punched him in the face. He fell to the ring with a thud and just laid there. Not trying to get up at all. Maybe some of his screws were knocked loose in one of his previous battles.

The announcer started counting. "One... Two... Three... Four..." Arqua stood up, again with wobbly legs. He looked in my eyes and started screaming so loudly that I had to cover my ears. A sudden bright flash stunned me and I closed my eyes to protect them from the vivid flash.

My lungs suddenly filled with water and I couldn't breathe. Startled I opened my eyes just to see that the whole ring turned into an aquarium; with me as the fish! I swam up frantically to get some air but I was cut off by Arqua. He was like a cheetah in the water and he flung series of kicks and punches my way.

I struggled to block every blow; I was at a great disadvantage in the water and it was hard to concentrate with the lack of oxygen. I tried desperately to get out once more, but Arqua was too fast. A punch he threw on my stomach caused me to swallow a few more gallons of water. I was starting to get woozy. Think Gohan think! I encourage myself. What would Dad do?

My eyes widened as I remembered one of the techniques he taught me. I closed my eyes and put my hands next to my face. "Solar Flare!" I gurgled through the water. Arqua's agonised scream vibrated through the water and he clutched his eyes in pain.

This is my chance.

I flew out of the water and welcomed oxygen into my lungs in gasps. The crowd cheered wildly as I flew out of the water. Arqua was still disoriented after my attack. 'Thanks Dad.' I whispered under my breath.

"Kamehameha!" I chanted and threw a wave just strong enough to end this battle, into the water. I could see Arqua's eyes widen in horror as he saw the blast nearing him. He tried to swim away but not even he was fast enough to escape the intensity of the attack.

The blast hit the water; causing it to fly in every direction; including the audience. Arqua landed out of the ring a few seconds later, distraught.

"Gohan is the winner! He advances to the final round with Pikkon." The mushroom-headed announcer exclaimed.

I floated down to the arena again, greeted by a cheering crowd. I smiled and waved at everybody. I jumped off the ring and extended my hand to Arqua lying on the grass. "Need a hand?" I asked politely with a smile planted on my face.

He was hesitant but gave me his hand eventually. "Thank you." He said grateful.

"Great battle, you are an excellent fighter." I complimented him. "You almost had me."

He smiled, blushing. "Yes, I didn't count on you countering with such a strong attack." He looked me from head to toes. "You are packing a lot of power for such a small child." I laughed at his statement and continued to the fighter's chamber. Pikkon was first to congratulate me.

"You and me, next" He stated ferociously as he walked towards the ring with determined steps...

...  
_  
*Hey again! I hope you liked it! Who do you think is going to win, Gohan or Pikkon?_  
_Anyhoo, enjoy your awesome lives! PEACE!_ *


	10. Chapter 9: Gohan vs Pikkon

_Hey there readers! Thank you for all the new subscribers and reviews! I see that all the reviews think that Gohan is going to win, let's see if you were right…._

Rawr: Don't worry King Kai is here in this chapter and of course there are going to be interludes! I love creating havoc! Buahaha! Thanx for reviewing :D

Disclaimer: *sigh* I don't own DBZ, but I do control the characters in this story!

_*Enjoy_

**CHAPTER 9: Gohan vs. Pikkon**

Tremors were sent through the arena as our fists connected. I could hear some of the audience gasp as our power reached their seats. We stood for a few seconds like that; our fists touching. "Let the games begin." Pikkon whispered challengingly and fazed out of sight.

I spun around, just in time to block an upcoming fist directly above my head. I caught his fist in my hand and twisted his arm behind his back. "You have to be faster than that." I whispered and kicked him in his spine, sending him flying across the ring.

He stopped himself mid-air and immediately rushed to me with a magnificent speed. I crossed my arms in front of my face as I braced myself for the impact. His feet connected with my crossed arms and I skidded backwards. I held for dear life, but his strength didn't lessen. Damn, he is strong! At last I unclenched my arms and bended backwards with extreme speed; just before his feet could reach my face. I threw my feet up, into his abdomen and he was sent tumbling into the sky.

He recovered quickly and charged a beam at me. "Death Beam!" he yelled and sent the beam in my direction. I formed a small ki-blast in my left hand and slung it to the nearing beam; it collided with each other and exploded. I fazed from the explosion to Pikkon's behind, hoping that the element of surprise would be on my side, but to my dismay, he was already turned around facing me; he expected my arrival. "You can sense ki." I stated, unsurprised.

"No" He said sarcastically. "I just like this view."

I chuckled. "I _am_ nice to look at, aren't I?" I teased.

He laughed. "Real smooth mister." He smiled arrogantly. "I am tired of these child games. I think it is time for you to see my true power." I was not surprised. "Then let me return the favour." I replied smugly. He is in for a treat!

We both started to release our true powers. His green fire-like aura rivalled my golden one. I smiled as the familiar power rushed through my veins. I contemplated if I should transform into my second state right now, but decided to leave that as I little surprise for my dear friend here.

"Well this is unexpected!" The announcer exclaimed. "The rookie fighter, Gohan, has just changed into some shiny golden thing." He looked up. "The entire sky itself seems to be shaking from that awesome power. This is going to be an epic battle!" I glared at the announcer in annoyance. Shiny golden thing; is that really the best you got?

After my quick transformation I noticed that Pikkon was still busy with his power up. I waited patiently for him to finish. His cry stopped and he clenched his fists. He looked at me with a confused expression. "You look different." He noted. He grabbed his turban and cape and flung it outside the ring. Dust settled around the garments and the ground dented in a little bit where it landed. Hmmm, he also trains with weighted clothing. That's was not exactly unexpected.

He snapped his knuckles and neck. "So let's find out if your power has changed as much as your appearance."

I rushed to his side, not wanting him to make the first move, and threw a magnitude of punches at him, but surprisingly, none hit him. I frowned, he was fast. I floated back a couple of inches to get momentum and sent a powerful kick his way. He caught my foot and threw me with incredible force to the ring. I stopped myself just before I could crash, but to my deject Pikkon was promptly in my face, already with a charged blast ready in his hand. My eyes widened in surprise at his speedy approach. I don't have enough time to dodge this attack! I realised in alarm. I threw my hands instinctively in front of my face to protect myself, but he didn't aim for my face, I realised too late.

A massive pain shot through my legs as my gi burned into my flesh when the blast connected on a close range with my lower limbs. My agonised scream echoed through the arena and I fell to the ground. I tried to ignore the pain and got up. Pikkon was rushing towards me again; this guy is a beast!

I blasted off into the sky, creating a huge gap between Pikkon and me. I took advantage of Pikkon's halt. "Masenkoha!" I yelled and threw the blast at him. He caught the blast in both his hands but struggled to hold it. I pushed a little more energy into the blast but Pikkon countered. He summoned enough strength to fling the blast into space, but he was panting after this gesture.

"Had enough?" I taunted; I still had lots of energy to spare.

He blasted into the sky, ignoring my question. He went higher above than where I was floating. "Let's see you dodge this!" He yelled chesty and began spinning like the Tasmanian Devil. A giant tornado formed around his body. "Hyper Tornado Attack!" He shouted; the tornado approached me with an incredible speed. I frowned. Now what? I have never encountered such an attack in my life!

The tornado effortlessly picked me up and I was engulfed by the wind; I was spinning around very fast in its strong grasp. I couldn't move; the wind was too potent! I was rendered immobile by the strong wind and to make matters worse, Pikkon attacked me from every possible angle; he sent bullet-blasts down the tornado's eye, and there was no way for me to dodge them. The pain was excruciating. Parts of my gi and skin were ripped by his razor-sharp energy. Blood trickled down my slash-wounds, dripping slowly down my body. It was unbearable.

The crowd clung onto their seats and nearby pillars for dear life as the tornado-strong winds reached them too. "Gohan, you must know that there is no point in fighting it." Pikkon said, trying to discourage me.

A determined expression rested on my features. "We will see about that!" I yelled and summoned all the power I had to transform into Super Saiyan 2. My energy blew the tornado away from me and into space. Why didn't I think about this sooner? I questioned myself. I scoffed in disbelief. The brain is magnificent; it is the most outstanding organ that works for 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, right from your birth until you actually need it the most...

Pikkon stopped in his tracks and stared at me with awe and shock as lightning started thundering around my body. I have to act fast, while he is still distracted. I rushed towards him with an extended arm and punched him in the face. He flew backwards, his face twisted into a painful scowl.

I cannot stop now; I will not get a chance like this handed to me on a silver platter, again.

"Ka... me... ha..." I started chanting. But before I knew it I flew down full speed to the ring, creating a crater. Pikkon had head-butted me in the stomach so fast that my brain didn't have time to register his approaching ki. I jumped up quickly, just to see that Pikkon was still advancing towards me very quickly; his speed was so tremendous that it seemed like there was ten Pikkon's on the arena simultaneously. I gathered some energy and aimed a blast at his head. I fired at point-blank range.

He didn't attempt to dodge the blast; instead he smiled devious at me while his power-level doubled. He was now surrounded by a blue aura circling his entire body. He looked so calm, not threatened by my blast at all. I frowned at his odd behaviour; what was he up to?

He extended his arms with clenched fists out in front of him and drilled through my blast. Crap he was so close now! I pushed more energy into my blast. "You are getting predictable Gohan!" He yelled at me overconfidently and dove under my beam; my eyes widened, if I let go of the blast it will hit the audience, injuring or maybe even killing them, if that was possible, but I am not willing to take that chance. Damn it Pikkon!

Everything was in slow-motion; I retracted my blast back into my hand, causing my hand to glow due to all the ki gathered in it, and tried to punch him in the stomach while he was still diving under the blast; all this happened in a split-second. He anticipated my attack and fell flat on his back to the floor; just barely scraping by my fist. He didn't waste any time; he kicked me through the face before I could retract my fist for a second attempt. Damn, he is right! I am getting predictable, I thought as my face twisted under the weight of his kick.

I skidded across the stadium floor on my back till the edge of the ring. My eyes widened in angst as I clung onto the end of the ring with a nearing Pikkon. This could be it; this could be the difference between victory and defeat for me. I raked my brain for ideas and my eyes lit up as I remembered one of my physic lessons.

I waited for him to get a little bit closer and; perfect!

I pushed myself upward with both of my arms and flung myself into the sky, just barely escaping Pikkon's approaching foot; I made a few summersaults in the air and landed gracefully on my feet a good distance away from my opponent.

Phew! I wiped some sweat off my forehead. He almost had me there; thank goodness I have maths and physics on my side!

Pikkon's hands did a wild dance as he almost slipped and fell out of the ring. I couldn't help but laugh at him. He looked so silly!

Pikkon grunted in frustration and glared at me furiously. He was panting heavily by now. I smiled; his energy was fading away rapidly while mine stayed constant; I still had more than enough energy to spare. I waited patiently for him to recover. It won't be very challenging to fight an exhausted warrior and my Saiyan nature itched for a decent fight.

"I have never..." *pant, pant* "fought someone," *pant* "quite as powerful as you are, *pant* you are either *pant* a fighting genius *pant* or a complete fool!" He said through all the heaves. "But unfortunately for you, not powerful enough!" He yelled and made some odd movements. I frowned in distress. His power was skyrocketing! A bright blue fire-like aura surrounded his body.

"Thunder flash attack!" He yelled as he brought his two fists together. Uh oh... This doesn't sound good... Why can't warriors name their attacks something like 'the fluttering butterfly' or the 'sparkling swan attack'? Giving your attacks vicious names doesn't make you automatically tough! Speaking of tough...

I braced myself for the impact by throwing my hands in front of my face. The blast collided with me and I was flying backwards. I lay on the ground between all the debris, my hands still planted protectively in front of me. "Aughg!" I yelled in agonised surprise as a burning pain hugged my arms in a tight embrace. I blew frantically on my upper limbs, desperate trying to cool them off; they were on friggin fire! Thank goodness I managed to extinguish the flames; otherwise I was going to have Hybrid Arm Stew for dinner!

I looked up to locate Pikkon. He is doing those movements again! Nice try bud, but this time you aren't going to hit me! "Ka... Me... Ha... Meha!" I yelled and shot all my energy into the wave as fast as I could.

He shot his blast out, again, at the same time as mine. Pikkon's blast collided with mine and we both struggled to get control over the forceful amount of clashing energies. The wave was currently equal. Damn if I could transform into SS3; then we wouldn't be evenly matched at all! I would be dominating this fight!

Where is he? I desperately search the crowd for Magisterial; at least he stuck out like a sore thumb with that purple robe of his. He saw me looking at him and I stared straight into his eyes pleadingly. He shook his head slowly from side to side as a 'no'; knowing what I wanted to suggest.

I sighed and pushed all the power I had left into my Kamehameha-wave, that first blasted Thunder Attack thing really damaged me, more than I realised.

The blast-battle was in my favour now; Pikkon skidded back as I pushed even more energy in.

The crowd was silent, watching in suspense and wide-eyed as they tried to predict the outcome of our so far, evenly matched battle. I walked forward with the energy-wave, trying to push Pikkon off the ring. "NO!" He yelled and frantically released more energy into the blast. I stared at him with admiration; his body was covered in bruises and blood gushed out of his wounds but he still didn't give up.

A sudden bright red glow yanked me back to reality. The wave got vermillion-red and shot strings of random energy out; looking exactly like the surface of the sun I have seen in books. My eyes widened in horror as I realised that it is going to explode, and it ain't going to be pretty...

The wave erupted like an angry volcano and I was shot through the sky by the incredible force of the once colliding powers. Little pieces of debris collided with my body, but I barely felt it; I wasn't 100% conscious after that blow.

The soft grass caressed my aching body when I landed outside the ring. I sighed. I am out of the ring. I slowly opened my eyes, but I still couldn't see anything. A black smoke-cloud, probably caused by the explosion, covered the entire area, blocking my vision completely. I waited for the smoke to settle and noticed that the arena had completely vanished; only a massive crater was visible to the place where the ring was once firmly planted. My eyes travelled to the area where the crowd was supposed to be; the pavilion barely survived the impact and it was clear that it was going to collapse any minute; all the people were floating in the sky now, waiting in suspense for the referee's reign.

I got up, but fell to the ground again when I tried to put my weight on my right leg. It is broken, I realised as I examined it.

"Well folks looks like we currently have a tie on our hands." The announcer claimed. "The directors and Grand Kai will just rewind the tapes, to see which fighter landed outside, where the ring _was_, first."

I floated towards the announcer. I clutched my left hand with my right one; I suspected it was broken too. "Excuse me" I said in a weak voice, trying to get his attention.

"Yes?" He asked.

"Someone get these boys some healing potions." He yelled and snapped his fingers at the medics as he saw me cringing in pain. I drank the potion and felt all my energy returning to my body. I stretched all my sore muscles and saw Pikkon get up out of the corner of my eye.

A little red minion rushed to the announcer's side and tugged on his shirt. He gave him a little piece of paper and whispered something in his ear. The announcer's eyes shot wide when he was finished reading his message. "Well, I'll be damned." He exclaimed and walked to the centre of the landscape, so everyone would be able to see him.

"Well folks, our two wonder boys here," he said pointing to me and Pikkon, "are disqualified for destroying the arena and endangering the deaths of every person on this premise." He looked at both of us sympathetically. "They ruled that the fighters in the semi-finals, excluding these gentlemen here, shall get a chance to redeem themselves. One of them will then be crowned the strongest fighter in the universe!"

I can't believe this! "Maybe next time boys," He said when he saw our expressions. "Can Arqua and Tapkar please report to the arena?" I heard the announcer call vaguely as Pikkon and I walked off in disappointment.

That match didn't last long. Arqua dominated the floor and defeated Tapkar in under five minutes; using that same water technique he used in our battle.

"Arqua is the winner! Congratulations to our new champion! He will receive training with our own Grand Kai." Everybody cheered. I felt happy for Arqua; he deserved it.

Pikkon's eyes suddenly shot wide in surprise. I mimicked a confused expression. "What's wrong?" I asked concerned. "Grand Kai just asked me if I wanted to join him in training." I looked around, not seeing Grand Kai anywhere near us. "When?" I asked puzzled. "Right now, through my mind." His eyes filled with joy. "I have to go!" He exclaimed and shook my hand. "One day I will challenge you to a proper battle." He said out of nowhere. "Somewhere where we aren't limited by a ring or surrounded by people who can get hurt by our battle." He smiled confidently. I returned the smile. "Deal, we will have a proper rematch."

He waved at me as he started retreating. "Don't get too much stronger." I waved back. "Don't count on it! Next time I _will_ beat you!" Our eyes met for the final time and I threw him a congratulating thumbs-up with a brilliant toothy smile. He smiled back at me with astonishment and stared at the cheering crowd chanting his name, in disbelief. I was actually shocked to see a tiny smile spread across his lips. Who knew that he could show emotions! He walked in the opposite direction, towards Grand Kai in complete happiness.

I grabbed my belongings and headed towards the exit. Draco suddenly appeared out of nowhere in front of my face.

"Why did you let that green goblin win?" He sneered, angrily. "We, I mean, you could have been crowned the strongest warrior in the universe!" He said over-passionately. "Do you know how big the universe is?"

I laughed at his ignorance. "It isn't about winning Draco." I lectured him. "I had fun in that fight and I learned so much." I smiled at him. "That sounds like a victory to me! And besides, I didn't let him win, we are tied. I am perfectly happy being second best."

Draco blinked his eyes rapidly, trying to decipher the hidden message behind my words "You... Second best?" His voice trailed off as if those words didn't make sense to him together in a sentence. He threw his hands in the air in defeat. "I give up. There is no point in reasoning with such a selfish little creature like yourself." I rolled my eyes at his dramatises. "Do you know how big we could have been?" He continued with a crack in his voice. "We could have been Gohan and Draco," He spread an invisible banner out in front of him with one hand. "The legendary..." He whispered sadly and began to sob quietly.

I felt so sorry for him. "Gosh Draco, I didn't know you felt that way." I said comforting. I stroked his back to calm his sobs; they only got worse.

"Ignore him, Gohan." Magisterial's voice interrupted. "He is faking." I looked at Draco who smiled innocently up at me, with big puffy eyes while blowing into a tissue. "I can't believe I am so naive; I fall for every one of your little schemes!" I felt so gullible. "Lighten up buddy!" He said while giving me a brotherly noogie. I rolled my eyes at him, irritated. "Whatever." I said and crossed my arms.

"I am very proud of you." Magisterial interjected and put one of his arms around my shoulder and gave it a little squeeze, congratulating me. Draco still went on about my foolishness but I just laughed at him.

"Gohan!" Reflex reaction; I turned around to the sound of my name being called. I looked around, not finding anyone around me who would have called my name. I heard someone clear his voice and I looked down. An odd-looking blue midget with round sunglasses was staring at me. Antennae shot out on his head and two whiskers twitched on his cheeks. A dancing monkey and a grasshopper flanked him.

I stared back uncomfortably at him; he didn't utter a single word. "Yes?" I asked him in awkwardness.

"Hey. This is my pet monkey Bubbles and Gregory my cricket." He introduced his friends. "Uh, hey, nice to meet you." I waved uncomfortably at them. The blue midget nodded. "Indeed it is a privilege." He said while clutching his mouth with both his hands; his whole body was shaking in fits of laughter. What was up with this guy? A slight blush appeared on his light-blue cheeks as he regained his composure.

"You are no fun!" He yelled at me. I started to back away; this guy is freaking me out! "It was really nice meeting you mister but I have to go." I said as I saw Draco and Magisterial's silhouettes nearly disappear into the horizon. I don't want to be stuck here! "Wait!" He yelled back just as I started retreating. I stopped unwillingly, not wanting to appear impolite. I stared at him, waiting for him to say something.

"Are you by any chance, the Gohan from earth?" He blurted out. I flinched, how did he know who I was and where I came from? I hesitated, not knowing if I should tell him the truth. I nodded. "Yes, that is my home planet." I confirmed. He smiled broadly. "So you _are_ Goku's son, I am King Kai by the way." I remembered Dad talking about him being the one who trained him before the confrontation with Vegeta and company. "Oh yeah, my dad has talked about you before." He frowned. "Of course he has."

He grabbed my arm. "He will be so relieved that I found you!" He exclaimed while tugging me forward. "We have to tell him right away." My eyes widened in horror. Dad is here? Of course he's here Gohan; nothing can keep him away from a fight. Part of me wanted to see him, to apologise for killing him and letting him down, but the majority of me wasn't ready to face him yet, I was still filled with regret, but maybe someday...

I planted my feet firmly in the ground; the action was so abrupt that it caused King Kai to fall on his face. I helped him up and apologised. "Sorry King Kai, but I don't want to see my father." I told him sternly. He raised his brow in confusion. "Why not? He has been worried sick about you!" That just made me feel even worse.

"Please, respect my wishes," I pleaded, "I am not ready to face him." His eyes filled with pity.

"Please don't tell him that I am here." I begged. He nodded solemnly. "My lips are zips!" He exclaimed and gestured his fingers across his lips; zipping it closed. I smiled at him. "Thank you King Kai." I exclaimed gratefully. "Now you will have excuse me…" I said and rushed towards my comrades again.

I continued walking with Magisterial Kai and Draco to the exit; on our way to my new home again...

_So what did you think? Aren't I evil for making Arqua the champion? *evil smirk* Hahaha! Anyway keep me posted on your thoughts about this story!_

*Live long and prosper!


	11. Chapter 10: Guilt

_Greetings! Thank you for all the new supscribers and all the reviewers (I almost fainted when I saw all the new reviews!). I appreciate all your kind words. (and yes Ezr14a, I am indeed single! haha) _

_Disclaimer: Dbz is owned by Akira Toriyama and not by me. I am just a humble writer... _

_*Happy reading!_

**CHAPTER 10: Guilt**

Everything was on fire! All the buildings and people were engulfed by flames. I shrieked in horror. I desperately tried to put out the flames with my ki, but it didn't work; the flames consisted out of a peculiar darkness that I couldn't extinguish.

I started crying as I tried to save people's lives. But it was too late; there was absolute no survivors; thousands of mangled corpses of humans and animals were lying in piles all around me. The sight was nauseating and a stench of death and decay hung in the air. I held my breath, to impede myself from getting sick. I had to get out of here.

I ran away from the violent sight in front of me, not concentrating where I am going. Suddenly I was flying through the air like a paper plane, doomed to crash; I tripped over something. I landed on my back with a thud. Ugh, I felt how it crunched due to the fall. My eyes travelled to my foot, I felt something light cling to it; probably what made me trip and fall.

My eyes widened in horror as I saw another corpse twisted into an unnatural position; it's sleeve curled around my ankle. I quickly untangled the piece of fabric around my leg and backed away on my butt with still widened eyes as soon as I was relieved from its death grip.

Dad?

I stopped and was not just sitting on the hard, cold ground. I studied his figure from the distance, making sure that it was in fact my father. The mangled corpse was impossible to identify; it was horrible massacred, but when my eyes rested on his hair I knew instantly that it was indeed my father; nobody had hair like that except for Goku.

What happened to you father?

I got back on my feet in haste and ran as fast as my aching legs could carry me away from that horrific scene.

After I ran, what I guessed was about five miles, I stopped out of exhaustion. I crunched down with my hands on my knees as I panted. I took a few deep breaths to calm myself and steady my mind after that brutal image I just witnessed. After I stopped shaking out of shock after a few more minutes, I perceived my surroundings; wanting to identify my whereabouts.

I recognised this place, I realised when I stared flatly at the large dome-formed building in front of me. I think I have been here before. I walked closer and saw a dust-covered sign. I floated up to the high pole and brushed the dust away with my sleeve; a few letters started to jump out of the dust. I brushed more intensely until every character became visible.

I rubbed my eyes, making sure that I wasn't imagining things.

_Capsule Corporation_.

My mouth fell agape. How did I get back on _earth?_

I rushed into the familiar place I have spent a good amount of my childhood, but nothing. The place was abandoned.

I scurried the rest of the planet, in search for some sort of life; I wanted answers! I stumbled onto a girl in her teens coughing violently. I could see something red shining on her hands thanks to the limited light the moon emitted. Blood...

I rushed to her side, excited that I found another living being. I tried to aide her with medical assistance but as soon as she turned around and I got a good look at her physical appearance, I gasped. Her black hair flowed down to the small of her back in a messy ponytail and she was wearing a blue knee-length cheongsam-dress with red arm bands and shoes, white socks and a red sash. Her exposed arms were muscular in built.

This girl was the living embodiment of Mother. But this can't be my mom; she is in her early thirties, not in her teens. When our eyes met I realized that it was Gomih.

She had grown; gotten a lot older, she was maybe sixteen. I smiled, she was the spitting image of our mother; but a few key features like the eyes, mouth and skin tone were clearly that of my fathers'.

"Gomih?" I asked with a stunned expression. I extended my arm towards her, wanting to feel if she was real.

She slapped my arm away with disgust. "Why so shocked, _brother_?" She sneered; her voice was raspy after all the coughs. I flinched at the malice in her tone. "You don't even recognise your own twin, tsk, tsk, wait till mother hears about this." She scowled at me; her eyes filled with hatred. "If you did not _abandon _me _and_earth, this," She waved her hand violently around her, "would never have happened." She spat.

My throat started to burn as tears welled up in my sockets as my eyes rested upon the disaster. "Gomih... I...I"

"Save it! Full of apologies, just like Dad! And look where he ended up." She yelled. I winced as I thought back to his almost unrecognisable corpse I saw just a few minutes prior. Her voice turned softer, more accusing. "Why did you leave me Gohan?" She asked; more hate building up in her eyes and voice. "_Why_?" She repeated, louder.

I couldn't get my mouth to function; I couldn't locate my voice.

"Yes Gohan, answer your sister; why did you _leave_us behind. Why did you leave us to fend for ourselves?" I recognised Mother's voice instantly; it was full of blame.

"I...I didn't know, I didn't mean to..." I stuttered.

"Oh please!" Piccolo came into view; rolling his eyes. "You never cared about anyone other than _yourself_; you didn't even care enough about us to keep on living." Ouch… That wasn't true!

"Such a pity you are already dead. I would have enjoyed ending your miserable existence myself." Vegeta also joined the blame-parade.

I got dizzy by the intensity of the accusations. Tears fell freely from my face as I started to sob. "Oh cry-baby is going to cry." All the z-fighters, including Krillen, Tien and Chautzu, who just appeared out of thin air, mocked simultaneously.

"Please..." I begged, closing my eyes in the hope that they will stop.

Dad appeared right in front of me, glaring at me. He had a black halo on his head. "You _disgust_ me!" He spat. "The only regret I have on earth is having _you_."

I backed away from their burning glares and I sat on my heels throwing my hands defensively over my ears; I didn't want to hear this anymore. I can't bare this!

This is not real. This is not real. I started chanting to myself as I rocked backwards and forward...

…

I woke up in cold sweat, clutching my throat; I couldn't breathe. I was distraught for a moment; not knowing where I was; but as I took in my surroundings, I remembered. "I need to talk to them." I said determined to myself.

I threw the blankets off my body and got out of bed in a rush. I flew to Magisterial's chambers and knocked loudly on his door. He arrived almost immediately; looking confused and wearily down at me. "Gohan?" He asked and rubbed his eyes. "What are you doing up at 2am?"

"Sir, I wanted to ask for a favour..." I trailed off; my voice cracked as I remembered scenes from that horrendous nightmare.

He raised his eyebrows in curiosity. "What can I do for you my boy?" He said and gestured for me to come in.

His home was very cosy. A fire crackled away in the centre of the room and warmed the area up nicely. His living room was furnished in a medieval fashion; the wall was plastered with dark wood, and dark oak furniture decorated the den. A few relic weapons like swords, spears, battle axe's, daggers and mace's claimed the walls with some portraits.

"Sir, I have been dead for almost a year now, and I was wondering if I could contact my family somehow. You did say that you had the power to send me back to earth so I presume you will have the power to allow me to communicate with them?" I asked, in one breath, in the kindest voice I could mutter.

Magisterial's eyes filled with pity. "Gohan, I know it is hard to be separated from one's home and family, especially on your age, but it is unorthodox for the dead to communicate with the living."

"But you said yourself that I am not dead; I am between life and death." I argued, desperate to get a 'yes'.

"Yes, but that was before you made the decision to stay and train with me; as soon as you agreed to my request; you became fully dead." He explained.

"Please sir" I begged desperately. I got on my knees. "I beg you! _They_ need to know that I am alright; _I _need to know that they are alright!"

He sighed. He was wavering. I held my breath as I waited for his answer.

"Very well" he said after a long silence. "But there are limitations: I will allow you a ten minute visit to earth; you will have to be frank, and you can only talk to one person. Deal?" He extended his arm out for a shake. I got up on my feet again, smiling. I took his hand in my own and shook it fiercely. "Thank you sir!" I exclaimed happily and hugged him. His eyes widened; shocked by my sudden burst of affection, but he did return the hug.

"Okay, off to bed. We can arrange the meeting tomorrow after breakfast."

"Will do" I said excited. I ran back to my cabin waving at Magisterial as I departed.

I ate my breakfast in a hurry and rushed to Magisterial's chambers where he was already waiting for me. "Remember Gohan, you only have ten minutes to talk to one person you desire." He repeated sternly. I nodded, remembering what he said last night. "Good. Now close your eyes."

I closed my eyes and I felt his hand rest softly on top of my head. I suddenly felt dizzy and peeked through my eyes, feeling a change in scenery. Fresh earthly air filled my lungs as I breathed in. I smiled at the familiar musky scent of _my_planet. A slight mountain breeze caressed my cheeks.

My home! I forgot how much I actually missed this place. Smoke was rising out of the chimney; Mom must be cooking. Oh how I miss her food. Stop stalling Gohan I scolded myself. You only have ten minutes, make them count!

I searched for the person's ki I wanted to see, and located it very easily. Thank goodness she was alone! I reached her in a matter of seconds and she dropped the firewood she was carrying as her eyes laid upon my figure.

I smiled at her warmly. She frowned in confusion and rubbed her eyes; making sure she wasn't dreaming. "Gohan?" She whispered in disbelief. My smile grew deeper. "Hey sis" I greeted her with a brilliant smile on my lips.

She flew to my side instantly and hugged me tightly. She got taller I realised. She was now nearly a head taller than me. Sigh, eleven forever.

Her body started to shake violently next to mine. "I thought that I was never going to see you again." I stroked her hair softly, comforting her. She pulled back and looked me over. She laughed. "I am taller than you." She bragged and stuck her tongue out at me. I laughed, now that is the Gomih I know!

"Where have you been?" She asked with big concern eyes. She examined my body thoroughly at every possible angle, for any sign of distress. She let out a relieved sigh when she noticed that I wasn't hurt or damaged.

Her eyes rested on my halo. "You are dead?" She asked confused. "But when we asked the Dragon to revive you, it said that you were neither alive nor dead. What the hell is that about?" She attacked me with more questions.

"It is a long story." I said, not wanting to explain everything to her now. She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. So seriously, where have you been?" She asked again. I rubbed the back of my head.

"Well..." I hesitated.

"Spit it out!" She yelled impatiently. I smiled; I wonder who got Mom's temper?

"I am not exactly allowed to tell you." I finally said. Her mouth fell open in agitated disbelief. "You aren't allowed to tell me?" She repeated. "You just waltz in here and expect me to..." She stopped mid-sentence with widened eyes. "Blink three times if you are being held against your will." She said slowly and stared intently at my eyes.

I laughed. "Oh how I have missed you, so what new has been happening in your life?" I asked, trying to change the subject subtlety and curious about the events in her life I have missed so far.

"Oh no mister, I know what you are doing. You didn't answer my question, stop changing the subject." I sighed; she was like a hungry chiwawa with a bone.

"I am not being held against my will." I answered her.

She looked a bit disappointed. "Not?"

"Yes"

"Yes?" She asked even more confused.

"No." I said shaking my head.

"No?" She asked again.

This is impossible! "No I am not being held against my will!"

She frowned angrily. "Then why didn't you just say so in the first place?"

"I did" I contradicted.

"No you didn't"

"I did, Ugh!" It's like arguing with a rock.

I wish I could stand here and senselessly argue with my sister like this forever, but I had something to say. I interrupted her cheerful banter when she grabbed my hand, wanting to take me to Mom and Dad.

"Wait, Dad is alive?" I asked confused.

"Yeah, duh, and he has been trying to find you for the past year. It's the first time he has been home in a year." She frowned as she noticed my halt. "What are you doing? Let's go! Mom and Dad will be so excited to see that you are back!"

I slowly tore my hand from her clutch.

"Gohan?" She turned her head askew and looked at me with sadness in her eyes.

"Gomih, I am not here to stay." I gave her a few seconds for the words to sink in.

"Then why are you here?" She asked abruptly.

"I came to tell you to stop searching for me. I will never be able to be wished back with the Dragonballs, so don't waste your time." My words sounded so cold. "You should carry on with your lives as if I never existed." That part hurt to say. I was holding back sobs the entire time, not wanting Gomih to discover my true feelings.

Tears welled up in her eyes. She stared intently at the ground. "So you don't want to come back?" She choked out confused; the words did not make sense to her in that order. My gaze fell to the floor as I felt the unpleasant feeling of guilt returning. I chewed over my words, wanting to find the perfect words to explain. "It's not that I don't want to come back," I started explaining, "If earth wasn't such a danger magnet things would have been different." I looked intensely in her eyes and put my hands on her narrow shoulders. "I am doing this to protect you guys."

She scoffed and rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Of course little brother has to do the noble thing and put everybody's needs above his own." She shook my hands of her shoulders and threw her arms in the air agitatedly. "Think about yourself for once!" She yelled. "Be happy..." She pleaded softly and took my hands in her own.

"If you are safe I am happy..." I contradicted her statement.

Her mouth fell open. "Will you please stop talking like that? You are not forty-years old for goodness sake! Be a child, be eleven years old!" Her eyes flashed rage. "Act your age, dammit!"

A weird feeling settled in my stomach. I looked at my hands: they were starting to get transparent. Gomih's noticed my confused look and followed my gaze; her eyes also settled on my transparent body. "What is happening?" She asked in horror. I frowned in sadness; not so soon!

"My time is running out." I answered.

"Tell everybody to stop searching for me." I begged.

She grabbed my arm. "Tell them yourself" She pleaded, but couldn't nudge my body anchored to the ground. I threw my arms around her neck for the last time. "I love you sis! No matter what happens remember that." My voice got softer and softer with each word. I could feel her warm tears dripping onto my shoulder; I closed my eyes. "I will always protect you, no matter what. Goodbye." My voice cracked as I muttered the finals words; the heavy sad feeling was choking my throat. I have always been terrible at goodbyes. I felt my body travelling through space, back to Magisterial's realm...

_(Gomih's point of view)_

I felt his body disappear under my grasp; I desperately tried to get him back in my arms, back in my embrace, but it was too late.

My nose began to run, my eyes began to water and it would have been like allergies if it weren't for the lingering heavy sad feeling building up in my throat; choking me. I stood there in the woods for a while, crying my eyes out. I thought I already cried myself empty the past year, but looks like there were still a few tears left.

I pulled myself together; the reality of the situation started to sink in. Gohan was here. "Gohan was here!" I said aloud and ran to my house. "Mom, Dad!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. "He was here! He was here!" I yelled as I burst into the kitchen.

Mom and Dad looked at me with concern. "Who was here?" Mom spoke up hesitantly as she dried the dishes. "Gohan... I saw him with my own eyes!" I exclaimed happily.

Their faces turned sad as they looked at each other in despair. Why weren't they happy? Why weren't they jumping up and down in joy?

"Why aren't you happy?" I asked my thought aloud.

They shared that concerned expression again. Mom dried her hands in her apron and walked towards me. She led me to the coach and I sat down, confused by her behaviour. "Honey, we know it is hard to deal with the death of a brother, especially a twin on your age..." She put her hand on my leg. I frowned at her. "Mom, where are you going with this?" I asked. Dad interjected when he saw that Mom was struggling to find the right words. "Sweetheart, what you mother is trying to say is that it is normal to make yourself believe that you saw something you really wanted to see..."

"Are you saying that I hallucinated?" I asked, interrupting him, understanding what they were talking about now. "I didn't!" I yelled and stood up. "He was real, I could feel him!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. "This isn't like last time!"

"Okay, sweetie, what did he say?" Dad asked slowly, as if he were talking to a mentally challenged person. "Well," I thought back to our conversation. "He said that he wasn't allowed to say where he was located, but he did say that we needn't worry about him, he is safe and he wants you to stop searching for him, Dad." I said.

"Gomih," He put his hands on my shoulders and looked me in the eyes. "We will arrange a meeting with someone for you to talk with, about your feelings. It will help, trust me." He said in a soothing voice.

I shook his cold hand from my shoulders and stared at him in disbelief. "There is nothing wrong with me Dad!" I spat. "Why don't you believe me?" I yelled as new tears started to form in my eyes. "Don't you care about Gohan? Don't you care about your only son?" I backed away from them.

"Of course we do." Mom interjected with tears in her eyes. "How dare you question it?"

"You are the ones not believing me!" I sneered and ran to my room. I couldn't look at those traitors' faces for one more second. I slammed my door shut behind me and sobbed on my bed. How could they be so cruel? Why don't they believe me? Do they really think I would lie about something so major?

Dad knocked on my door. "Can I come in?" He asked politely.

"No!" I yelled. "Go away!"

He ignored my cries flatly and entered my room; he sat next to me on my bed. I wiped away my tears and looked straight into Daddy's big kind eyes. "Daddy, I promise, I didn't make this up. Gohan was really here." I tried again, hoping I could get through to him.

His eyes filled with despair; he is not going to believe me, isn't he? Wait!

My eyes widened as I realised something. "I can prove it." I said happily as I got a pen and a piece of paper from my desk. Dad looked at me in suspense, I could see hope well-up in his eyes. I started drawing the symbol I saw on the back of Gohan's gi. Thank goodness I examined him! After a few minutes I was done. I stared proudly at my masterpiece. I am a good drawer. I turned the sketch to Dad. "Do you recognise it Daddy?" I asked. "I saw it on the back of Gohan's gi." He looked at it from every possible angle. "Nope," he finally said. "I have never seen this symbol in my life." My heart sank. My last hope; gone, flushed down the pooper.

Dad's eyes lit up. "We could ask Dende." He suggested excitedly. "I am sure that if this symbol exists he will know about it."

I smiled, hope returning in my heart. "Let's go!" I exclaimed enthusiastically. My expression grew somber. "But how are we going to get past Mom?" I asked deep in thought. Dad put his arm around my shoulder with his two fingers on his forehead as he smiled down at me. I smiled back. Instant transmission, duh!

We arrived at the lookout in seconds. "Dende?" I yelled desperately. Dende came out of the lookout's throne room. "Goku, Gomih, what a nice surprise" He greeted us. "What can I do for you on this fine evening?" He asked as he saw our eager expressions.

"Dende..." Dad spoke up. "Do you. By any chance, recognise this symbol?" Dad gave my drawing to the earth's guardian.

He examined the symbol for a few seconds, recognition lighted up in his face. "It is a symbol of one of the high Kai's." He said. He looked at us confused. "What are you doing with it?"

We explained the whole situation to him.

"So what you are saying is that Gohan is located where ever this symbol originates from?" He finally asked after our vivid explanations.

We nodded in unison.

His face turned sad again. "Guys, we still can't revive him. If Gomih is telling the truth about this symbol," He said pointing at my sketch, "we are dealing with forces more powerful than you would think." He looked down. "I am sorry guys but we are in over our heads."

I wanted to cry again; everyone is always so negative! I took a deep breath, my breath came out shaky. Dad put an arm on my shoulder, noticing my distress. I smiled weakly up at him and he gave my shoulder a sympathetic squeeze.

Dende looked up at us and smiled. "Gohan did say that he will return again, didn't he?" He directed to me. I forced a fake smile. "Uh, yeah, he did." He smiled back. "You see, we will see him again in no time, without unnecessarily stepping on anybody's toes, especially a high lord's."

I nodded with a fake happy expression planted on my face. Ugh and when will that be huh? I am not going to wait years to see my brother again! I yelled inside my mind. I will do anything in my power to get him back, even if it means stepping on some people's feet!

I hugged Dende goodbye and Dad transported us back home, just in time! Mom burst into my room with refreshments. Dad and I shared a look of relief. I told my parents that I didn't want to be bothered, they respected my wished and let me go to bed early. I stifled an evil laugh. Let the scheming begin!

I will find you brother... I swear!

_(Back to Gohan's point of view)  
_  
I opened my tearful eyes slowly and saw Magisterial stare back at me with a concerned expression. Stifling another sob I swung around and left, heading towards the training field, leaving a confused and worried sensei and Draco in my wake.

Draco followed me to the battlefield where I stood motionless. He put a reassuring paw on my shoulder, encouraging me to talk about my feelings. Since when does Draco care about my feelings?

I stood there, trying to form words that would sufficiently express my despair, but instead a sudden weakness overwhelmed me. Tears formed unwittingly in the corners of my eyes and they dripped down my face in rivulets. My shoulders began to shake violently and I covered my face with my hands, trying desperately to muffle the sounds of lamentation. I sank to the ground and hugged my legs to my body while I buried my face in my lap.

"I am a bad brother." I finally said after a long silence.

Draco didn't say anything; his presence was soothing enough. "I am abandoning my sister when she needs me most." I continued through the sobs. "I left her _alone_in that cruel world." I spat at myself.

"If she is anything like you, I am sure that she will be fine." He tried to sooth me.

"I don't want her to be _anything _like me!" I yelled. "I am a horrible person."

Draco hovered awkwardly, uncomfortable and at a near total loss of what to do. I sensed Magisterial's ki nearing us. He walked forward and knelt on the ground in front of me and rested his hands on my shoulders. "Gohan" He tried to grab my attention. I ignored him, not wanting comfort; I don't deserve comfort! "Gohan, listen to me" He tried once again. I lifted my head and rested it on top of my knees, looking him in the eyes; I didn't want to be disrespectful to my sensei.

"You are not to blame for any misfortunes your friends or family may receive in the years to come when you are not there." He said slowly. "You are the reason earth is still in orbit. You are the reason that all its inhabitants' hearts are still beating. You are a hero!"

I shook my head slowly, not agreeing with his statements. "What kind of hero abandons his loved ones?" I choked out, my conversation with Gomih still fresh in my mind.

"A noble one" He said. "You were selfless enough to put the needs of others' above your own. There aren't a lot of people like that out there." He lifted my chin up with his finger, forcing me to look him in the eyes. "Listen to me; you have to sort out these negative emotions. I don't want to see you go down the same path as Raphael." His voice turned serious. "You sacrificed your entire life and well-being for your people. That is not abandonment; that is a noble sacrifice. Never forget that. You are the reason they are alive and not in Other World right now." He smiled at me. "And you will probably be saving the day again in no time; earth _will_get another beating by a villain to strong for your friends to handle in no time. And then you will get to go back and show them what you are really made off!"

I nodded in confirmation and wiped my tears away with my sleeve. That is true. I actually felt a lot better and motivated after our talk.

"I know it is hard for you to control your emotions, being a Saiyan hybrid. All your human emotions are heightened because of your mixed Saiyan DNA, and it _is_ harder to control, but you have to teach yourself to focus on all the positive emotions like hope and love instead of all the bad ones like guilt and hate. Then you will thrive. I am not going to lie; it _is _going to take some time, but you _will _get control over your feelings. I know you can."

I let out a deep breath, trying to calm myself.

"So go wash up and we can continue our training, today I want to teach you instantaneous teletransportation."

My eyes lit up. "Instant Transmission?" I asked unsure.

"You know the Yardrats' technique?" He asked, impressed.

"I am familiar with it; my dad knows it."

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Impressive, but my technique is far more advanced than their primitive version."

I ran to my cabin, determination set in my paces. From now on I will be different. I will not feel guilty about the past; I will work hard in the present so I can save and protect the future. Nothing is standing in my way but me.

I am my worst enemy...

***********************  
_Hello again! I hope you liked the chapter (a lot of sadness in, I know! sniff sniff) _

_I hope you will review! I love seeing the inner mechanisms of your gorgeous minds! :D _

_Anyhoo, have a wonderful week!_


	12. Chapter 11: Mission Possible

Greetings beautiful peepz! Here is chapter 11! *crowd cheers* I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it… :D  
**  
**_PrincessOfUniverse__: Thank you! Awww what a coincidence! What's your story's name? I would love to read it. ___

Vegetaslave87: Wow, thank you for reviewing each one of my chapters! And you are right, it is pronounced it 'Go-me.'

_Unwanted half sayian-demon__: I am really sorry, but I am not going to write Goten in the story. I kinda invented Gomih to be a replacement for Goten (you will see that her personality is also somewhat similar to Goten. She will also be well-befriended with Trunks.. wink wink). I hope that that little detail won't make you stop reading my story! :D_

Rabid wolf: I am sorry, but I don't quite understand your review… Will you be so kind to explain it to me?

Rawr: Hahaha, you will just have to wait and see about the creepy and mysterious black halo… *suspenseful voice*

Dr. Blue22: Awww I am so sorry! But don't worry, he will age later on. *spoiler* But I am not going to say too much on that matter… yet!

Many thanks to the other reviewers I didn't mention above. *gets emotional* you make my life worth living!  
_  
Anyway, I won't delay you any further. You may read chapter 11 now… __****_

**CHAPTER 11: Mission Possible**

"Concentrate your ki and imagine that you are someplace else." Magisterial voice rang clearly through my mind. "Transport yourself to the kitchen." I nodded, but still didn't quite understand how to do it. I visualised the kitchen, but I still couldn't manage to move myself to it.

"Sir…" I breathed. "Can you maybe take me through the steps just one more time?" I asked politely. He nodded. "Close your eyes and redirect your ki to the kitchen. It is almost like fazing; running very quickly. Your whole body will disintegrate for a split second before assembling together again at your chosen location." He continued.

"But sir…" I interjected. "My father's technique was used by focussing on a ki near the place you wanted to travel to and you used that as your compass. Wouldn't it be easier to do it _that_ way?" I suggested.

He nodded. "Most definitely, but do you sense any ki's near the kitchen?"

"No…" I retorted, knowing that everybody who resides on this planet is here with me.

"Exactly, you see, your father's technique may be easier but it is horribly flawed. Let's say you want to travel to a planet that is uninhabited, how will you get there?" He asked. I thought for a bit but couldn't find any logical solution. I shrugged. "Precisely, with instant transmission you won't be able to travel to such locations. But with instantaneous movement, all you need is a mental picture or coordinates and you are set." I nodded, agreeing with my sensei. That was very true. "And an added bonus of instantaneous movement is that you can not only transport yourself, but also teleport other people or objects to different locations without accompanying them."

"Cool that will save a lot on travel expenses." I joked but that will actually be useful. I wish I knew this in my childhood; I could have zapped Mother away when I wanted some quiet time.

He chuckled at my little joke. "Indeed, now, try it again." He urged. Okay, imagine myself in millions of bits and pieces, that's easy! Just pretend that Mom found you rummaging in her special drawer, _again_. Gosh that was a bad day… _Gohan focus_! I scolded my wandering mind.

I concentrated a great deal and I actually moved! I opened my eyes and saw that I was about two feet away from my original spot. I sighed but Magisterial applauded. "Progress!" He exclaimed. He never made me feel like a failure. Like he always says: "Around here we don't look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things… and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths. Because from failing you learn. From success… Not so much!"

"Okay son, let's get you a feel of it first." He put his arm around my shoulder and transported us to the kitchen. He looked down at me. "Did you feel it?" He asked. I nodded. "I think so; it is a kind of pins and needles feeling mixed with the sensation one gets when going down in an elevator." He gave me a thumbs-up. "Interesting observation; but yes."

He teleported us back to the training field. "Okay, try it again." I loosened my shoulders and took a deep breath. I closed my eyes and thought back at the specific feeling I felt when transported. I visualised running to the kitchen and miraculously enough I felt the feeling again. And then I was falling.

I yelped as I fell down and bounced off the roof of the kitchen and landed with my butt in the air in front of Magisterial and Draco. Draco took out his camera and shot a photo of me at that embarrassing angle. He snickered. "This is going straight to Spacebook!" I pouted at him as I got up and brushed my gi off. "I got to the kitchen!" I exclaimed happily ignoring Draco. Magisterial nodded with a smile planted on his features. "Indeed, we just have to work on you aim." I laughed.

"Now let's try the other technique. Take this rock and send it to your home planet." I smiled. "Okay." I took the rock in both my hands and looked up at Magisterial for direction. "Good, now use your ki to send it to someone in particular, similar to the technique you just used to get here. And don't worry you can't miss." He laughed. "You're concentrating on a specific ki; there is no chance that it will not arrive at your chosen destination." I felt comforted and used the same technique as earlier. It worked; the rock disappeared out of my hands and probably on its way to my dear friend.__

***

_(PICCOLO'S POV)._

It will be precisely a year tomorrow.

This is the first time I have ever retuned to this forsaken place since _that_ horrible day. I see those hooligans constructed a reminder of him, I noticed as I neared the bodiless grave. Fresh flowers stood at the foot of the stone along with photos of the fallen child. One in particular made me smile; Gohan was holding a pair of scissors above the unsuspected sleeping Prince of all the Saiyans' head while Gomih drew random doodles on his face. I remembered him saying that Vegeta's hair always reminded him of a pineapple, and he didn't like pineapples at all. They forced Trunks to take the picture and I was hanging around at the back for backup in case things got heated; you could never be too safe with Vegeta. Luckily for them did Vegeta not wake up in their little endeavour and they just snuck away from the never-wiser prince scar-free. When Vegeta came to, they couldn't hold their laughs and Vegeta fumed. They blamed it on Tien and Chautzu, who is still to this day, banned from Capsule Corporation. I laughed out loud at that memory.

How I miss those whimsical days…

I looked up at the sky, seeking answers. "Where are you kid?" I yelled aimlessly at the clouds, the declaration of the dragon still fresh engraved into my memory. *clunck* I fell bewildered to the ground when an unidentified arduous object crash-landed on my head. I felt a bump the size of Everest form on my forehead. Why I ought to… I looked around dazed; who dares to disturb the great Demon King Piccolo when he is thinking!

I searched for ki's, trying to find the culprit, but I realised that there was no one near me. The closest person I could locate is a weak farmer about 50 miles away. I looked down and was surprised to see that a big green rock resting at my feet. "Who threw the damn rock?" I yelled angrily. My angry voice boomed through the landscape viscously a few times. It is not as if rocks randomly fall from the sky! Hmpf! I decided to ignore it, but only this once.

I decided to keep the rock; it was nice to look at after all…  
My eyes travelled to the tombstone again.  
_  
Son Gohan; A great brother; son; friend and loyal comrade. Rest in peace…_

Are those really all words they use to describe the life of one the greatest people who has ever walked the earth? I caught the sight of a rival statuette in my peripheral vision. A giant statue rose like a skyscraper out of the soil.

_Hercule_… I growled. That fluke gets a giant statue and everything his heart desires but what does the true hero receive? A death sentence! I summoned some energy in my palm and blasted that waste of space to oblivion. Nothing was left of the piece of crap. "_That_ is what you deserve…"

"Hey Piccolo!" I flinched at the abrupt call of my name. Gomih floated down to me. Damn, I was so wrapped up in my own thoughts that I didn't even notice her approach. _Strange_, I thought as I examined her. She looked happy. The last time I saw her about two weeks ago she was still weeping.

"What's up?" I turned around and greeted her. She looked confused up into the sky. "I can't see anything specific; but I suppose it is kind of cloudy today." *Face palm*. I sighed. "That is urban slang for 'what's going on'." I explained. "You really should get out more." She frowned angrily and stuck her tongue out at me. "Whatever, I didn't come here to become fluent in urban slang; I wanted to talk to you about something important." She seemed excited, if it weren't for gravity she would have been bouncing up and down like a rabid squirrel who consumed caffeine.

I stared at her impatiently, urging her to continue. Her voice turned softer, almost incoherent. "But you must not tell anyone, not even my dad." I scoffed. "No problem, I don't talk to your Neanderthal of a father anymore anyway." She rolled her eyes at me; just like Gohan always did when he thought I acted mean. "I will keep your secret; so what is it?" I asked annoyed and impatiently.

She took a piece of paper out of her pocket and unfolded it. She extended her arm with the paper secure in her fingers. I carefully took it and stared at it. It was a sketch of a symbol from a sensei.

"What about it?" I asked emotionless.

"Do you recognise whose symbol this is?" She asked eagerly. I didn't know, but Kami did. My eyes widened. "Where did you get the symbol of a supreme master?" I asked puzzled.

"Gohan was here and I saw that symbol on his gi…" Everything went blank in my mind, and I could vaguely hear her babbling senselessly. Gohan was here? Why didn't he come to see me? I was snapped back to reality when she mentioned his name again.

"…Dende said that we shouldn't mess with these people, but if we find the origin of this symbol…" My eyes widened. "Then we find Gohan." I completed the sentence for her. She nodded.

My eyes shot wide. "You said Gohan was here, when?" I demanded. "Last night; I told Dad and Dende but they don't want to help me find him; they think it is _too_ risky." She explained.

I rolled my eyes. Typical for Goku; flees when things get to hot for him to handle. "Figures..."

She took the paper out of my hand and placed it safely in her pocket again. "So are you going to help me or not?" She asked point blank.

"Of course I am going to help; other than that deadbeat father of _yours_." Gomih looked angrily at me. "Piccolo…" She warned. I ignored her.

"So what do you propose we do first?" She asked out of the blue. "We have to go to otherworld first." I stated without hesitation. Her shoulders slouched in discouragement. "And how are we going to do that? We are not dead and only guardians are allowed up there with no questions asked."

I smiled deviously down at her. "Luckily for you I have connections on the other side thanks to Kami." Her eyes lit up with hope; I haven't seen them do that in a long time.

***

We crash-landed on our backs in other world; just outside King Yemma's chambers.

"I can't believe you bribed those hooligans from HFIL to teleport you here." She stated in awe as she got up and brushed her clothes off. She raised an eyebrow at me questioningly. "How did you do that anyway?" I chuckled. "Yeah, I think it's better if I don't tell you. Your mom and dad will forbid you from hanging with me if they knew…"

Hmmm, a compelling thought. "Maybe I should tell you, and then I will finally be rid of you."

She punched my arm playfully and I am surprised to say that it actually stung a bit.

"Not even if you tried." She whispered menacingly. She still stared at me in expectation, wanting some sort of an explanation. I waved my hands in front of me. "Okay, okay. I will tell you this: it involved a can of whip-cream, cherries and a video-camera." I laughed, as I remembered their expression when those thugs from HFIL realised I tricked them.

Gomih crossed her arms across her chest. "Whatever." She said irritated, knowing that I won't expand any more on the matter. "So what do we do now?" Her eyes searched the area, looking at the unfamiliar surroundings. I have only been here once before; when I died sacrificing my life for Gohan in the fight with Nappa, but Kami had many memories of this place in his many endeavours. For the first time I was actually grateful that I shared a mind with him.

"We have to see King Kai." I stated and walked to where I vaguely remembered Snakeway was located. I carefully looked around me; making sure that no one could see me.

"King Kai?" She repeated. "Isn't that the man who trained Daddy for a while and taught him that Kaio-ken attack?" She questioned, unsure.

I nodded. "Yup, that's the clown." I confirmed. She walked absentminded with me until we reached the giant snake head; the entrance of Snakeway. She let out a violent shriek as her eyes laid on the creepy display, and I had to act quickly to cover her mouth with my hand. If anybody notices that we are here, we will be toast… _Burned_ toast...

I shoved both of us behind a trashcan. She bit my hand and I yanked it away. I scowled at her. "What did you do that for?" She scowled back. "Your hand is sweaty! It is super gross!" She exclaimed and spat out reaps of spit beams. I put my finger in front of her active lips, shushing her. "Are you crazy? If anybody here sees that we are still alive we will be killed! Or do you have a death wish?" I whispered seriously.

She gave me an annoyed gaze and ripped my hand away from her lips. "Fine, I will promise to be quieter if you agree not to touch me ever again!" She compromised, to my surprise, softly. Easily! I nodded. "Deal, but remember to keep your end of the bargain." I scoffed. "This is probably going to be the hardest thing you have ever done in your life; after all you do share DNA with a possessed banshee, but at least try!"

She frowned at me. "What did you say about my mother?" She asked lividly, raising her voice a little bit. I looked at her in disbelief. Really? She clutched her mouth shut in defeat. "And by the way, I didn't say the banshee was your mother, you made _that_ assumption all on your own…" I smiled as she rolled her eyes at me. "If you say that I said this, I will deny it completely, but she is kinda a harpy…" Her voice trailed off and I chuckled. "I am glad to hear that her own offspring realises that."

We continued on Snakeway and trudged onwards on the never-ending path. After we were too far away from anybody who might hear us, Gomih spoke up. "So how long is this path anyway?" She asked out of curiosity. "About ten thousand miles," I said monotonously. Her mouth fell to the floor. "Are you friggin kidding me?" I shook my head. "It's not that far, but I think it is time for us to pick up the pace." I smiled smugly at her. "Try to keep up."

I started sprinting down the twisted path. I looked back over my shoulder and couldn't find Gomih anywhere behind me. I smiled, another one bites the dust! I returned my gaze in front of me and frowned in surprise. How the hell did that little pest get past me without me noticing it?

I put more strength behind each pace and caught up to her quickly. We were running next to each other now. She smiled defiantly at me. I grunted. "How is it possible for you to be so fast?" I yelled at her in disbelief. She let out a little girly giggle; ugh that sound was annoying.

She jumped up gracefully and made a perfect 360 degree turn in the air while still holding her speed.

"I have something one might call, resilience; I know it is a big word for you to comprehend in that muscle brain of yours; it means…"

"I know what it means!" I interrupted agitated. "I am not an idiot." Just because I live in the desert doesn't mean that I am illiterate!

She scoffed. "Compared to my intellect level, you could just have been a mule." What? "Oh, so little miss twelve year old thinks she has more life experience shoved in her brain, please!" I countered. She started laughing. "It is so _easy_ to mess with you."

I growled at her angrily. No one messes with the great Piccolo, especially a snot-nosed child! She put her hands in front of her in defence. "Whoa, don't bite my head of oh impregnable giant gorilla." If I wanted to bite her head off I would have done it a long time ago!

I scowled at her and we continued a long distance in silence.

After about 60 miles she started to complain and I agreed that we could rest for a while. "You are slowing me down." I scolded her as she massaged her sore feet. But I was actually glad she wanted to rest, my legs weren't as young as I wanted them to be, I thought begrudgingly.

She ignored my comment. We sat in silence for a few moments. "Piccolo, why are you so bitter?" She asked out of the blue. I was taken aback by her statement. "I am not bitter." I replied a little offended. "I am just set in my own ways." I answered her twisted question.

She looked at me as if she was not buying my answer. "That is bullcrap and you know it." I didn't meet her gaze.

"You were only always nice to Gohan, _never_ to me." She said after a while. I flinched at the mention of my fallen friend's name. I sighed sadly. "He was a special kid." My voice trailed off to another dimension.

Her frown grew deeper. "Yeah, that is what I don't get. You liked Gohan but you don't like me; we are twins for crying out loud!"

"Just because you are twins doesn't mean you are the same person. You are still individuals." I stated wisely.

"Okay fine, but that still doesn't explain why you _still_ don't like me." She pestered.

I sighed. "I don't recall that I have ever said that I didn't like you." She held my gaze. "Actions speak louder than words." She said in despair. I shrugged. "I don't dislike you; I tolerate you." I answered.

"I can't understand why you not just tolerated but liked him, but me…" She hesitated. "We are, I mean, _were_ basically the same person!"

It looked like she was going to burst out in tears any moment. "That is exactly the problem! You remind me too much of him and it hurts!" I blurted out without thinking. I regretted saying that the moment I voiced the words. What possessed me?

Her eyes widened in pity. Great, now the girl pities me!

Before I knew it, she embraced me. My eyes shot wide at her sudden show of affection. I didn't know how to react. "I know it is hard Piccolo, I feel the same way." She let go of my waist and stared into my eyes with tear soaked cheeks. For some reason that made me get emotional too; thank goodness I mastered my emotions and kept them caged behind my blank expression.

I nodded at her solemnly, not daring to say something in the fear of my voice cracking. She smiled up at me and we both got up together. She wiped the tears of her face. It felt like I had to do something. Ah, a pat on the back could never go wrong! I patted her on the back and she stumbled forward.

Crap, I used more force than I intended too. She fell off the path and into the yellow cotton candy-like clouds. "No!" I yelled and tried to grab her before she fell into, if I remembered correctly, HFIL, but I was too slow. She let out a shrill scream as she fell down. "Crap!" I yelled and jumped in after her.

I saw her falling figure and sped up towards her. Almost there…

I was just in time to catch her before she hit the blood fountain. I put her down safely on the ground but instead of being grateful she yelled at me. "Why did you hit me?" She asked angrily.

"I didn't…" I stopped mid-sentence when my eyes caught something I didn't expect to see. Gulp.

"What are you staring at?" She asked confused, but anger was still apparent in her voice. She swallowed her words and gasped when she turned around and saw Frieza, Nappa, Cell and basically every villain we have fought in our lives standing in a battle formation in front of us; Cell was in the lead. Why was I not surprised?

Now what? We don't have enough power to fight Cell; not even combined; no matter his entire twisted army! I got into a fighting position; I am not going down without a fight! I saw from the corner of my eye that Gomih did the same. I sighed, if only she were stronger. Gomih's power is probably equivalent to that of Krillen's. Damn; I should have trained her as well, but no.

Cell laughed and snapped his knuckles and neck. "Who would have ever imagined that I will find you two down here?" He exclaimed happily. I saw his scrawny eyes examine us. "Oh, you are not dead?" He sounded surprised. I grunted. "But you are in Otherworld, if you didn't know, and in Otherworld you have to be dead to enter it…" He smirked and floated up above us; my eyes didn't leave his ugly figure. "Let me arrange that for you…" He gestured one finger at his army to charge.

Gulp; it's now or never.

A battle cry rang to my ears as everyone charged. I braced myself for the collision, but instead a powerful ki emitted from next to me, making me swing to the side. Everyone stopped in their tracks as Gomih transformed into a Super Saiyan. My mouth fell to the surface. What the hell?

Her hair glowed bright gold and spiked up in her high ponytail; her petite frame also adjusted to the new power; her muscles were much more defined now. I stared at her in shock. "You are a super Saiyan?" I asked in astonishment. She smiled arrogantly at me. "You seriously didn't think that I will let the boys get all the action," She winked at me. "Vegeta has been training me in secret." She explained. Ah, making sense now; but shame, surviving training with Vegeta, damn. I gained a lot more respect for her. I just hope she overpowers him someday; that will be hilarious!

"What are you waiting for?" She asked me and pointed to the bewildered army. "I am not fighting these morons by myself."

I powered up to my maximum and started attacking. The Ginyu Force fell easily defeated under my fists and I saw Gomih tearing Frieza apart. I smiled at my new alliance, just glad that I didn't have to do this alone. I was actually enjoying this; fighting again. The last time I indulged myself in a proper battle was with that piece crap hovering in the sky like he owns this place. And we all know how that turned out…

I sneered at Cell; I am coming for you next you bastard!

My blood boiled as I sped towards Cell. As I approached him he flashed me a bright toothy smile. Ugh, I am going to rip that smug look right off his disgusting face! Just before I could land my punch, Cooler appeared in front of me; trying to punch _me_. Oh I see how it is; they must ensure that no harm comes to master moron here; pathetic minions.

He drove me back to the ground with his energy. I caught his left fist and started crushing it with my hand. He tried to punch me with his remaining fist, but it got the same fate. His expression turned panicked as he realised that he couldn't defeat me. I blasted him with a beam emitting from my mouth. He was disintegrated easily. I clapped my hands together, "Well, that was easy."

Gomih just finished off the remaining foes; Raditz, Nappa and Turles; their mangled bodies lay lifelessly on the ground opposite me. This girl really has her shit together! She walked towards me and looked up at Cell.

He was the only fiend left. I was going to enjoy killing the monster responsible for the death of my dearest friend.

Gomih and I neared the bastard like one person, threatingly. Cell walked closer to Gomih and she cringed. "You must be related to Goku, the resemblance is uncanny." She glowered at him in hatred. "Yes, he is my father and Gohan is my brother." She sneered. He laughed.

"Great genes; I suppose you have vengeance on your mind then?" He taunted.

"Something like that." She growled angrily and raced towards him. I followed soon after and we both flung a flurry of punches at his face. None hit him though; he was damn fast. This was so frustrating! I powered some ki in my hand and aimed it at his stomach. He saw my attack coming and dodged it. The blast exploded into the blood fountain, making blood splatter in every direction, including on me.

I growled in disgust and headed to Cell again but he anticipated every move of mine. His laugh filled my ears. "Your attempts are useless Piccolo. Remember your DNA is part of my perfect design. I know every move before you make it." He mocked. This is not going to end well.

"You don't know my moves!" Gomih yelled and fazed out of sight. She re-appeared behind him with a blast ready in her palm, but Cell kicked it out of her hand. She tried to counter, but was not fast enough; Cell fazed above her and struck her down with his hands brought together on her head. A giant crater formed under her body when she crashed.

He laughed. "But I do young one; I see you have received training with Vegeta. I am surprised that I didn't see your fathers' moves in there. Oh well, you were still very predictable." He yawned on cue. Gomih rose out of the crater like a phoenix. "Stop talking about in the past tense. I am not finished with you yet you overgrown grasshopper!" She yelled.

He laughed. "I can't say that I haven't heard that one before…"

"Gomih save yourself! I will keep this monster busy long enough for you to escape." I instructed her, if I am going down I am _not_ taking anyone with me. She scoffed. "As if," and charged Cell with everything she got; which was sadly not enough. Cell turned to offence and started to beat us to a pulp.

It was useless to block one of his hits; they were _so_ powerful that they broke through our defences and made it hurt even more than it would if we didn't block them in the first place.

Gomih's body fell slap to the ground as she reverted back to her normal form, unconscious.

Damn, I am screwed, I thought as Cell didn't stop attacking. I tried to fight it, but it was futile. I also fell immobile to the ground next to Gomih, but just before my eyes fell shut, I saw a golden light speeding by me and heading straight for Cell…

(Gohan's POV)

I can't believe Piccolo and Gomih are here. When Magisterial told me that there was havoc in hell I would have never imagined them being here; but I knew Cell was somehow involved. I am just glad they are unconscious; it would have been disastrous if they saw me here.

I turned to Cell again and he noticeably flinched when he recognised my face. I smiled at that; there was no way he will triumph again.

"Ah Gohan; so nice to see you, again." He said with fake sincerity; his voice was quivering a bit.

"Ditto," I replied back smugly.

"It will be nice to fight you again Gohan." He sneered. "And this time you shan't be victorious! You see, I haven't been sitting still and feeling sorry for myself here in hell; I have been training a lot and I must say my power increased tremendously…" I sensed his ki and shook my head internally; pathetic! "I will now…" He continued.

I sighed. "I forgot you tiring your speeches were." I interrupted his blabbering and punched him in the abdomen; my fist pierced through his stomach and he tumbled over, pushing all his weight on me.

"H… how?" He choked out. "You aren't even in your first super Saiyan transformation, you are normal."

I smirked. "You didn't really think that I would sit back and relax my entire after life?" I asked rhetorically. I threw him on the ground and aimed a blast directly at his heart; I wanted to end this quickly; not wanting to drag it out unnecessarily long.

"Any last words?" I mocked. His eyes widened in pain as I pierced his heart with my blast. His body fell lifeless.

Too bad this won't last, I thought glumly as I stared at him. Magisterial said that those who reside in HFIL cannot vanish completely. If they are killed again while they are dead they _will_ be revived in a few days, to complete their punishment for eternal damnation. At least he will suffer forever…

This encounter didn't last as long as I expected, but I didn't mind; I wanted it to be over quickly. I have really improved over this year; that I crumbled my previous enemy _so_ quickly without exerting more power. I can't believe I was once as weak as _him_…

I looked around me; every villain lay fallen. Pride filled my body. I am so proud of them; they really came searching for me. How I wish that I could go back with them, but this is my new home now. I have moved, no matter how hard it is I should leave them behind. It's for the best, I convinced myself.

I placed one hand on each of their bodies; I sent some of my ki to them, so their wounds would be healed, but I made sure that they did not awaken. Just when I was about to send them back to earth with the instant teleportation Magisterial taught me, something caught my eye.

A piece of folded paper was busy falling out of Gomih's pocket. I picked it up and unfolded it out of curiosity, wanting to desperately know something about my twin's life; maybe it's a love letter, I thought. That thought made me laugh; I wonder what boy will be able to restrain and tame my wildcat sister.

I was surprised to see Magisterial's symbol sketched on it. I frowned; this must be how they tried to find me. She probably saw it when I visited her on earth a few days earlier. I smiled. She really never gives up; but I wish she would, otherwise she will just get hurt and I would rather die a thousand deaths than cause any pain or discomfort to her.

I got a pen out of my pocket and wrote a message for her and Piccolo under the symbol. I placed my hands above their chests' and located earth's coordinates. I flared my ki a bit and sent them back to earth with a smile on my face. "I love you guys" I whispered under my breath as their bodies disappeared…

(Gomih's POV)

I awoke with a start. It felt like I was flashed with an incredible speed to another dimension. Bewildered I looked around me; I was surprised to see the familiar woods in front of my humble abode surrounding me. Wasn't I just in HFIL? I placed my hand on my forehead; trying to tame my terrible headache.

Piccolo's cough beside me gave me a fright. He also looked confused around him. "Why are we back on earth?" He questioned me. I shook my head and shrugged. "Beats me!"

The piece of paper with the Gohan's symbol on fell out of my pocket as I got up. I picked it up and examined it for the last time, that wasn't there before; I noticed writing under the symbol. My first instinct was that Piccolo scribbled some strategy on it, but before I could confront him about it, I recognised that the handwriting could not be his, it was too neat. My eyes widened as I read the message under the symbol:

_Good job; you guys almost had me; almost. Don't worry, I will see you soon. Ps. Piccolo, did you get the rock? –Gohan._

"We were actually on the right track." I told Piccolo and gave him the letter. "What does he mean about a rock?" I questioned. He got a peculiar expression on his face decorated with a tiny smile. "He was the culprit…" He whispered. I frowned at him confused. What on earth is he talking about? His eyes suddenly widened in sorrow. "So close!" He yelled and blasted off into the sky in despair.

"Piccolo wait!" I yelled after him. He stopped and turned around to look at me.

"Where are you going?" I asked. "Don't you want to form another scheme to rescue him?" I hoped he would say yes.

He shook his head slowly from side to side. "There is no point Gomih." He sighed sadly. "He belongs to one of the higher lord's now. We have no chance."

"Piccolo please, we can…"

"No," He interrupted. "This isn't our place and if Gohan wanted to be saved in the first place he would have awaken us or told us where he was located so we could wish him back." He let out another deep sigh. "He is probably happier where he is now than he was ever on earth. As far as we know is Gohan saving other dimensions, and we have to respect that he doesn't want to return."

I hated to admit it, but Piccolo was right. I sighed. "Well, see you later then, I guess." I greeted, a little depressed; I knew I wasn't going to see Piccolo anytime soon; not with his issues with my dad and after our little miss-adventure... I would actually miss him; we bonded a lot in such a short while and I could talk to him about Gohan, unlike my family… Oh well.

"Gomih," He grabbed my attention before I could leave. "Yes?"

"I would enjoy it if you want to spar with me too sometimes." I smiled brilliantly. "You mean it?" He returned the smile. "Of course, I never joke about training." He stated.

"You never joke about anything!" I teased. He nodded. "Yes, but don't expect me to go easy on you." He smiled devilishly.

I smiled back and gave him thumbs up. "Great! I will find you sometime and we could mess each other's faces up!" I yelled and headed home, before Mom and Dad get worried.

I walked casually into the kitchen. "Hey honey," Dad greeted me in the middle of one of his push-ups. "Ten thousand and three…" He continued chanting while he pushed his body up with nothing but his left forefinger.

"Not so fast young lady." Mom said when I tried to slip past her. Drat, so close! "Yes Mommy?" I said innocently, careful not to sound too innocent. She frowned strictly down at me. "Where have you been?"

Quick, think up and excuse! "In the woods; I thought it will do me good to experience the beauty and calmness of nature after my recent fit." I explained flawlessly; I don't know if it is a good or bad thing that I got so good at lying recently. I decided on 'a good thing' when I read her expression and saw that she believed me. Hollywood here I come! I could probably act a lot better than most of those washouts…

Her eyes widened in sorrow and she embraced me in one of her famous hugs. "I am so sorry sweetie, and here I thought you were up to no good." I pushed her away softly. "Yeah; you shouldn't always expect the worst from me." I lectured with fake sincerity. I smiled internally. I am so evil; they _should_ always expect the worse of me.

She nodded and she pecked me on the forehead before returning to the stove. "We should; you really are growing up into a decent young woman." She said prideful, I could almost swear I saw a tear forming in one of her eyes. Wow. I scoffed internally. Decent young lady my ass!

"Thank you mother." She smiled at me. Just as I turned away I saw Dad staring at me confused; for a doofus, he really sometimes noticed things physiologists would have trouble identifying. I mouthed the words: '_You don't want to know_.' He smiled at me and continued with his push-ups. I am so glad he isn't as uptight as Mom; at least he knew what privacy meant.

I continued to my room in silence. I took the letter gently out of my pocket and placed it in a secure corner in one of my desk drawers. I kissed the piece of paper. You better fulfil your promise brother. I won't continue searching for you, but you better come back soon.

I knew he will return someday again. He can't stay away from the chaos that is me forever…

I am not going to tell them, my parents. I am going to keep this my little secret...

*****************

_So, what did you think about it? Can't wait to read what you thought!_

*high fives you for reading Gohan: The Untold Story*

Have a fantabulous week! XD


	13. Chapter 12: The ZSword

_Hey there!_

Andreaswf: Thank you for the long review, which was so long that it couldn't fit into the review box! Hahaha!

Thank you to all the new favourites and subscribers and a special thanks to Pix, Serius Potter2, lova-gal, Vegetaslave87, RKF22, unwanted half Saiyan demon, rawr and GohanSSj4 for reviewing! I appreciate it very much! (Very glad you guys liked chapter 11!)

Well here's chap 12! Happy reading! _(PS. This is my longest chapter yet! 7440 words! *applauds myself :D)_****

CHAPTER 12: THE Z-SWORD

I counted the days in which I spent on this realm. I have been dead and away from home for 512 days now; for a year and a half my family and friends had to adjust their simple lives without me.

The thing that hit me the hardest is all the things I was going to miss: seeing my parents growing old together, teasing Gomih about her future crushes and crushing the boys' who dared to break my sisters' heart. I wasn't going to get the chance to give my parents grey hair due to my aggressive and impulsive teenage behaviour; no Gomih is going to go through puberty alone... I will not find a love for myself; seeing a girl in a romantic matter was still utterly disgusting to me, cooties are real and are medically acknowledged! I will never have children of my own...

I comforted myself by reminding me that due to my stay and training here, I will ensure that the people who _can _experience these privileges _will_...

My Saiyan half didn't care in the least about these feelings, but my human half was dominant, desiring these moments with severe intensity. All I could do is pull the off-switch on my human-side. I sighed sadly. If I don't, I won't survive...

My training had continued at an invigorating intensity. I was now fully accustomed to my third transformation and I was able to draw forth all the power I could from my transformation without impeding my stamina. The result allowed me to push my energy levels much higher, raising my strength and speed at a humongous rate.

Using an acute speed, I blinked across the sky fast enough to spar with myself. I fired off great blasts of energy and fazed in front of them to counter them back with my growing ki.

Draco, who I saw was gazing from the surface up at me in awe, pointed his finger to my 'battle'; it looked as if he was counting. I laughed, poor Draco! To him there probably appeared to be hundreds if not thousands of Gohan's in the sky all at war with each other. His head went back and forth following my extreme pace, confirming my theory; he was probably trying to determine which one of the hundreds of me, was the real one.

I sensed Magisterial's ki slowly approaching the training area and he also stared up to the new powerful me. "It's time…" He whispered to himself, but my sensitive hearing caught the words. The fireworks in the sky immediately ceased as I stopped my spar and stared questioningly at my sensei.

He walked out into the field, "Gohan! Please come down here for a second!" I phased in an instant next to him. I was getting used to this Instantaneous teleportation; it was almost like second nature by now! I reverted back to my base form.

"Yes sir?" I questioned politely.

"You are doing very well Gohan; you are actually exceeding my wildest expectations!" He gushed proudly. "I trust it is time we tried to advance you beyond to a level much higher than your current one." He smiled excitedly down at me.

My eyes widened, understanding that he must have some kind of specific and complicated training in mind, "What is it you want me to try, sir?" I asked eagerly; ready to face any new challenge facing me in my way.

"You are going to have a crack on something that has never been accomplished before in history!" Magisterial continued mysteriously and continued to smile confidently down at me.

I returned the gesture and nodded enthusiastically, "Sure, let's go for it! I am always up for a new challenge!" I will not pass the chance to appear in history books!

"I admire your enthusiasm!" He exclaimed gleefully. "Grab hold." He instructed and extended his right arm out to me. I curled my hand around his arm. Draco did the same. "Fieldtrip!" He sung happily in an opera-singer voice. Magisterial gently untangled Draco's paw from his arm. "My apologies Draco, but you cannot accompany Gohan and me." He said to the small Dragon-like creature. Draco's face fell. "But why not,? I want to go!" He whined and stomped his left foot hard on the ground. He really acts like such a toddler at times.

"We are travelling to a very sacred and serene sanctuary." He explained at the frowning Draco. "Not just anybody is allowed to enjoy and relish in the beauty and tranquillity of that lovely sanctuary."

"What are you trying to say your Un-brilliantness?" Draco sounded partially offended.

"It is nothing personal Draco; I don't make the rules." Magisterial said in the kindest voice.

"Fine," Draco exclaimed annoyed and threw his arms agitatedly in the air, but I could hear the hurt between his words. "I will get dinner ready." He said sadly and stomped off towards the kitchen. Poor thing, "I will bring you back a souvenir!" I yelled, trying to ease his hurt. He shrugged, acting like he didn't care. "Yeah, yeah, whatever!"

"Shall we?" Magisterial asked politely, ignoring Draco's fit. "We shall." I said, returning the polite tone.

He transported us to another planet where I have never been before. I let go of his arm and looked at my surroundings with an open mouth. Several moons lit the majestic lavender sky. The grass was greener than the greenest pastures burned into my memory; this place lets the most beautiful and precious landmarks on earth look like a piece of rotting vomit. It even puts Magisterial's stunning planet to shame.

The grass was so soft; it flowed like bright green velvet across the valley. This is what I pictured a paradise would look like. There wasn't a dull gland in the whole majestic delicacy.

"Marvellous, isn't it?" Magisterial's voice broke through my admiration. I nodded, still flabbergasted by the picturesque sight in front of me. "What is this place?" I blurted out.

Magisterial chuckled. "This is the realm of the Kai's." He explained while turning around 360 degrees with his hands outstretched from his sides. "Approximately five million years ago, the Sacred World of the Kais was inhabited by all the Supreme Kais of the universe: Grand Supreme Kai, Northern Supreme Kai, Eastern Supreme Kai, Western Supreme Kai, Southern Supreme Kai and of course me, the Magisterial Kai. We were the strongest beings in the universe, or so we thought." His voice turned distant, as if he were millions of miles away, reliving the events through his telling. "A great wizard named Bibidi, unleashed a terrible monstrosity on the once peaceful valley of the Supreme Kais, in a quest to rule the universe. His beast's name was Majin Buu, and he was a mere child, but had a power that would send your mind into a horrid frenzy; a power even greater than mine at that time; don't fret, if he appeared again now, I would give him quite a spanking!"

I chuckled. "So how did you defeat him?" I questioned.

He let out an exasperated snicker. "If only if it were that simple. He is still alive."

My eyes widened in shock. "You didn't kill him?" I yelled.

He chewed over his words. "Not exactly..." I looked at him confused. "Let me explain; Western Supreme Kai and Northern Supreme Kai were the first and second Supreme Kais to fall defeated before the wrath of the child version of Majin Buu. Southern Supreme Kai attempted to defeat the Majin, but was absorbed by him, to our surprise. The Majin undergone a transformation by this act; he changed from child to his buff Ultra Buu form; he was now even stronger than before..." I listened with awe at his story; I wish I had popcorn! We were walking through the luscious vegetation as he told his tale.

"Ultra Buu attempted to kill Supreme Kai and myself, but he was stopped by Grand Supreme Kai, who selflessly sacrificed his own life for ours. He was absorbed by Ultra Buu moments later." He wore a sorrow frown on his brow. "Afterward, Ultra Buu transformed into the childish and fat Majin Buu we know today, disrupting his reputation as a cold and efficient killing machine. You see, Grand Supreme Kai was the kindest and purest of us all and when Buu absorbed him, he took part of his personality too; the two became one entity, resulting in Buu becoming tamer and less intellect. We seized the opportunity and sealed him into an inescapable ball. We couldn't get it over our hearts to kill him; our friends were inside of him after all," He smiled, "but we did however kill Bibidi." I returned the smile, glad to hear that his story had a kind-of happy ending.

"But won't Buu be able to escape his captivity, being so strong and all." I questioned worriedly. Magisterial chuckled and tussled my hair. "Oh my good boy, you always have a fight in you! But don't worry; the only way he will be able to be freed is if another wizard in Bibidi's bloodline uses a spell to release him. And as far as we know, he was alone; he didn't have any children or family members left."

I let out a relieved sigh. "Phew, one less killer to worry about..." Magisterial smiled at me warmly. "Indeed."

We halted when two mildly strong ki's arrived instantly in front of us. I wasn't surprised; I felt them coming from far away.

The first one I saw was a very tall red person with wrinkles deeply engraved in his broad forehead and flat white hair running down to the small of his back; he towered over me like a mountain, a very angry mountain. He was glaring down at me and his nostrils were flaring wildly. I smiled awkwardly up at him, unsure how to react at his silent hostility.

His friend was much shorter, I noticed; he was only about a head taller than me. He was light lavender, about the same shade as the sky and his hair looked like a Mohawk-like broom glued to his head. They were both wearing a peculiar form of clothing and even had matching earrings. I shuddered internally. I will never be caught dead in one of those garments.

The purple one shot an angry scowl in my direction while he was still talking to Magisterial. I frowned, what is up with these guys?

The big red one clawed one of his monstrous hands to the back of my neck and picked me up as if I weighed nothing. My body fell limp from the neck down. What the hell? I couldn't feel any part of my body except for my head.

"If I were you I would show some respect, and watch your language!" He scolded. Huh? How was I being disrespectful? I haven't uttered a single word to them since I got here.

"Were can read your mind idiot," He explained in a monotone. Oh, everything makes sense now...

_Hey let me go!_ I yelled in my mind.

"Not until you have learned some manners." He retorted bitterly. _I am warning you big guy, I am magnitudes stronger than you! If you let me go I will ensure that no harm falls on you. _

He scoffed. "How?" He asked with a hint of humour in his voice.

_I will show you how!_ I tried to power up, but as soon as I began trying to release my energy, he tightened his grip; causing the flow of oxygen to my lungs to cut off. I was rendered completely immobile. I felt dizzy by the sudden suffocation and I started to lose consciousness...

"Kibito!" Magisterial yelled angrily. "Let him go; he is my student and I forbid you to damage him; or I will impair you!" He threatened menacingly. It worked; the guy grunted and dropped me to the ground. I clutched my throat; I gasped as oxygen streamed down my throat; it burned like crazy as air rushed to my lungs again. I could actually feel his hand imprint on my neck! Wow, what a grip! I admired.

I stood up slowly and brushed myself off. Magisterial and that guy were still in a heated argument; I couldn't make out what they were saying, I could just see their hands flying in every imaginable direction as they fought. Wonder what that is about... Oh well, I turned my attention to my previous assaulter.

"So your name is Kibito?" I asked friendly. He grunted. "I take that as a yes! My name is Gohan by the way." I introduced myself and extended my hand for a shake. He looked at my hand like if it was the plague and went back to stare aimlessly in front of him. "I know" He retorted in a monotone.

"Ah," I acknowledged, he probably learnt it by reading one of our minds! I suspected. "Correct" He said, answering my unasked question. This is creepy. "Hey you are violating my privacy! Stop reading my mind!" I said agitated.

"Stop thinking," He retorted irritated. Ugh. "And how do I do that, mister who claims to know everything!" I was starting to get really annoyed now. "That is something your sensei should teach you." He claimed. I rolled my eyes. "Thank you" I said sarcastically. "This was a real productive conversation, I feel closer."

He grunted. "You don't know who you are talking to child." He warned. Before I could ask why, Magisterial and the little purple man walked back towards us. I smiled at them warmly. I wonder what they were arguing so feverishly about. He looked me in the eyes.

"You actually, boy" He said without any emotion in his voice or features. I flinched. I put my hand behind my head and gave a nervous chuckle. "I didn't know I was that interesting." I joked.

"You aren't." He retorted coldly. "We were arguing about how a mere mortal, like you, can just waltz into the sacred land of the Kai's without there being repercussions." He spat venomously.

Magisterial's expression grew annoyed. "Like I already told you; he is an extraordinary child! If there is anyone who could release the Z-sword from its resting place it is him! Why can't you get that through your thick skull?"

He ignored Magisterial's insult flatly. "Simple, he is not a Kai. Why don't we host a competition between all the riffraff in the universe to see who could extract it first?" He spat. "He has no right to accomplish what was meant for the Kai's."

"Humour me! Let's see if my mortal student can achieve something neither of us ever _could_ dream to achieve?" He challenged. What are they talking about?

"Fine!" He yelled after a while and shook Magisterial's hand, sealing the a deal. "But you will swallow your words old friend..."

"We will see about that…" Magisterial stated confidently. The both of them engaged into a deep staring contest. I fidgeted with my hands uncomfortably while they argued over me. Dang, this was awkward.

"Can someone please notify me what this is about?" I asked dispirited.

"Gohan, this is the Supreme Kai." Magisterial introduced, pointing at the lavender, biker-hair dude. Oh... I bowed out of respect. "Nice to meet you, sir,"

"I wish I could have said that the feeling was mutual." I flinched internally at his insult. Magisterial pointed to Kibito, "and this is his trusted bodyguard, Kibito." Oh so mister tall, red and hostile is a bodyguard; big shocker. "We already met..." I said while peeking at my tall acquaintance. He returned a cold stare and I actually shivered at his icicle-shooting glare.

"Well then, shall we?" Magisterial directed to the Supreme Kai. "Like I have a choice" He spat. "He better _not_ be like that other delinquent you brought here hundred years ago claiming the same!" Magisterial noticeably flinched. "That is not going to happen _again_..."

"Follow me then," He led us on a journey across the planet. "So Gohan, tell me about yourself?"

"What do you want to know sir?"

"Everything; like where you are from, how did you die, how old are you, what species are you?"

"Okay," I played all his questions in my mind again, trying to remember each one. "I am eleven years old and I am from planet earth..." Supreme Kai got a puzzled expression. "Isn't earth only inhabitant with humans?" He asked confused. "Yes," I replied unsure where he was going with this. "Among others..."

His eyes widened. "Others, like what?"

"Well, I have encountered a ton of aliens that receded on our planet, like Namekians, demons, intelligent anthropomorphises, androids and I have met a few hybrids too." I counted on my fingers; I think I got them all.

"Amazing," Supreme Kai said in wonder. "Did you hear that Kibito; earth isn't the little blue peaceful planet we once thought." Kibito just grunted in response.

"Then what are _you_ young one?" Supreme Kai looked me over from top to bottom. "As far as I know can humans not exceed a certain level of strength without killing themselves in the process, so you cannot be human...?" I was surprised that his previous furious tone vanished so quickly, being replaced completely with interest and awe.

"Oh I am," I said merrily, "but I am also part Saiyan." My eyes shot wider. "Oh I forgot to mention Saiyans in my list."

Supreme Kai staggered backwards. "There is a Saiyan on my planet." He said like in agonised disbelief, as if he never expected to use those specific words together in a sentence.

"Half Saiyan," I corrected.

He ignored me and continued on with his rant. "One of the cruellest species in the universe is walking on my sacred grounds." It looked like he was going to faint.

"But wait, Saiyans have been extinct for almost three decades by now; that Frieza tyrant blew your planet up." I nodded in confirmation; yup, Vegeta did make sure that I knew that. "Then how were you able to be born?" He asked again puzzled.

A small blush appeared on my cheeks. "Uh, you see when a man and a woman love each other very much..." Supreme put his hand on his face. "Oh goodness no!" He exclaimed. "I meant how were you able to be half Saiyan when there aren't any more Saiyans left to procreate with."

Oh... "That is a long story..." Supreme Kai gestured his hand to me; urging me to continue. "Just before planet Vegeta exploded my dad closely escaped as an infant in a space pod heading for earth; his mission was to destroy earth due to purging reasons." Supreme Kai nodded at my explanation. "Yes, that was what the Saiyans were known for; they caused a lot of problems for us as protectors." He said gesturing to himself, Magisterial and Kibito.

"Anyway," I continued, "when my dad arrived on earth he was found by a hermit and martial-arts boffin, the person I am named after; my grandpa Gohan. He took my dad under his wings but Dad was apparently very aggressive, at first, but one day he fell and hit his head; then he became peaceful."

"What a rare story to hear about a Saiyan." He exclaimed surprised. "So is there any other Saiyans left on earth?" He asked curiously. I thought back. "The only Saiyans that are still alive who I know about is my dad, my sister, Vegeta, his son Trunks and of course myself. My dad and Vegeta are the only full-blooded Saiyans left that we know of."

"Amazing, the King is still alive." He murmured in awe.

"Oh no, it's not King Vegeta, it's his son." I corrected.

"The Prince?" He asked unsure.

"That's the one... And he never lets us forget it."

"You come from a very colourful background Gohan; you probably had an interesting life."

I sighed sadly. "Something like that."

"Remember that every person and even Kai have hardships in his or her life, but remember that it isn't the hardships you went through that defines who you are; it is how you got through those situations that make you the person you are today..." I nodded. "Never regret anything that has happened in your life, Gohan, it cannot be changed, undone or forgotten. So take it as a lesson learned and don't dare to look back." I smiled at his kind inspirational words.

"Maybe you _can_ do it after all." He said to me with a sincere smile on his features. I smiled back; he wasn't _that_ bad; he is actually kind of awesome. "Thank you," He replied flattered, to my thought.

We passed a thick forested valley and walked through a waterfall until we reached our destination.

I gaped at the beauty of my surroundings. The valley was very colourful; it was exquisitely radiant. Grand statues, of what I presumed were that of the fallen Kai's lined the landscape and crystal fountains poured water into small graceful streams into the sky.

A great cliff rose from a quartz-like pond like a majestic highline. We floated to the top of the grand pedestal. I could see only the hilt of a sword peek out from the centre of the stand.

Supreme Kai extended his hand toward the sword and slid his hand across the hilt. "It is said that this weapon has the ability to slice through time and space, if only the wielder was pure, true and strong enough to master it. It is called the Z-sword, the weapon of unlimited strength. The sword draws on its master's deepest hidden powers. The two become one weapon, capable of cutting down even the mightiest of foes. It is the most powerful sword in the whole universe..."

"Wow…" I stepped over to the sword and looked at it in awe. It was fair with a detailed hilt, carvings of distinguished warriors were engraved on the surface and the portion of the blade that was visible above the pedestal reflected a rainbow smile of glorious colours off the surface, some colours I didn't even have a name for.

"I want you to try to remove the sword from its resting place Gohan." I nodded realizing what I was supposed to do. Supreme Kai spoke up. "Be warned, none of the other Supreme Guardians have ever come close to budging this mighty weapon. It is thought that its density is so great that it has the weight of at least one hundred ton per ounce. For a weapon of _that_ size, its total weight must amount to thousands of tons."

I nodded, "So… this is _not_ going to be as easy as I thought…"

Magisterial nodded in confirmation, "Not easy would be an understatement! Only Gailo, the leader of my most elite magisterial army, has ever managed to make the sword even creak in place. But I believe now that if anyone has the ability to remove the sword from its pedestal that it's you Gohan."

He crossed his fingers. "Though you lack the experience and strategic sense of many of the other guardians, I know that your incredible strength and energy might just be enough to dislodge the ancient weapon."

I gulped not wanting to let him down and wanting to prove the negative Kibito wrong. Kibito gave a scoff, his expression was screaming: '_Not in a million years_.' I ignored his hostile vibe and continued to the sword. "If a Supreme Kai couldn't release it, what makes you think that a simple mortal like _you_ could achieve it?"

I ignored his discouraging statement again. "Ok, let me get a feel for it first..." I stood on top of the pedestal and gripped onto the hilt with both hands. I hadn't started pulling yet; I just opened and closed my fists around the grip for a moment. The hilt was like velvet under my skin and I could feel a tremendous power being emitted underneath my weight. I felt dizzy at the intensity of the power. I stretched to prepare myself for the task; I didn't want to pull a muscle in the process!

"You won't be able to free this weapon, child!" Kibito interrupted my process. "Kibito!" Supreme Kai scolded him. "No! This weapon is destined to be released by a Kai!" He looked at me with disgust. I flinched as I saw the venom in his glare. "Not a savage Saiyan child." He made the words sound like a curse.

"Kibito, give Gohan a chance too." He ordered his bodyguard. "We all have had our chance; now let's see if our young warrior here can manage something that has been rendered impossible to all the Supreme Kai's." Kibito grunted miserably. "Good." He looked at me and smiled warmly. "You may proceed Gohan, the stage is yours." I gulped nervously. Magisterial gave me a supportive nod.

I took a deep breath and squatted down with my hands clutched firmly around the sword. "Here goes nothing..." I gave the sword a strong tug, but like I anticipated, it didn't budge. I grunted with effort, but I was getting nowhere. I clenched my teeth and my face flashed hot like lava at my second try. My hands were slipping from the hilt and before I knew it, I fell backwards on my forehead!

The whole pedestal quaked when my head landed hard on the ground. "Ouch!" I yelled and clutched my now throbbing head. Kibito snickered. "Told you," He muttered happily and began retreating off the cliff. I glared at him smugly, "You haven't seen anything yet." His eyes widened. "Don't be a sore loser boy." I didn't reply to his negativity. I clenched and unclenched my sore hands; trying to lessen the pain.

I took a few steps back, loosened my shoulders and took a deep breath yet again. I gave a warning look at my little audience of three, telling them to get out of the way.

They took shelter a few hundred metres away from the tall cliff; understanding that I was about to unleash my power. "Here we go." I said to myself and let out a deep breath to calm myself.

I started powering up, my hair flashed a brilliant gold and spiked straight down my back; I instantly transformed into my third transformation. I could feel Supreme Kai and Kibito's eyes boring into my back as I powered up all the way to my maximum. I gripped the sword once again firmly with both my hands.

Tremors were sent through the landscape as all my power was uttered. I planted my feet firmly on the rocky bottom of the pedestal for support. I yelled as I started pulling on the sword as hard as I could.

For the first few seconds there was nothing. I heard Magisterial whisper, "Maybe I was expecting too much from him too soon," from across the sky with my acute hearing. His statement motivated me. I _am_ ready! I _will_ prove them all wrong!

The ground began shaking. My yell intensified as I reached deep within myself for even more energy. My golden aura flared viciously as I attempted to boost my power as high as I could. My feet cracked through the ground of the pedestal.

The entire planet was shaking violently now, "My goodness, this has never happened before…" Supreme Kai exclaimed a little frightened as he jumped into Kibito's arms.

My ki flared wildly, my cry became deafening, my muscles strained further, and I heaved with everything I had. The pedestal shattered and crumbled to the ground; I skyrocketed upward with such force that the planet split into two.

"My planet!" Supreme Kai exclaimed loudly in despair as he saw his home crumbling underneath him.

I panted and halted mid-air with the sword safely in my grasp. I smiled proudly at myself and let out a deep shaky breath. "I did it!" I exclaimed in disbelief. "I actually did it!" My smile grew more intense. "Sir!" I called my mentor. I looked down to search for him. All I could see is the debris; all that was left over of the once majestic valley was dust. My eyes widened in horror, what if...

"Good heavens!" I heard I familiar voice call out. He looked at the shattered podium and saw that there was no longer a sword mounted in its grasp. I smiled as the three of them rose out of the rubble and floated down to where they were standing. Once I landed, I had to exert quite a bit of effort to make sure the sword didn't burry itself in the ground, then I would have to unearth it again, literally! Magisterial's eyes were glued to the sword in my hands. "Gohan, you achieved the impossible! You unearthed the Z-sword!" His smile and voice was filled with pride.

Kibito floated up to us, "Yeah… and he destroyed our planet in the process…" He said as he looked down at the rubble. Supreme Kai laughed. "Such a trivial thing dear Kibito... Don't you realise what Gohan has done?" He asked energetically and aimed his hand down to the planet. His ki flared and after a few seconds the planet was restored to its original glory. "He achieved something greater than his peers will ever dream of achieving!" Supreme Kai exclaimed in awe, but Kibito scoffed. "Not impressed, I could have done that too!" Magisterial's musical laugh filled the sky. "Of course you could have."

Magisterial hadn't been kidding, this sword was friggin heavy! It was taking nearly all of my concentration just to stay floating in the sky with this thing. The sword was also huge, at least as long as I was tall.

"Well Kibito, it seems like you have underestimated our young friend." Supreme Kai mocked him. He turned to me. "So how does it feel Gohan? How does it feel to hold the legendary Z-sword?" He asked, eagerly awaiting my response.

"Heavy!" I exclaimed with a smile.

Kibito's eyes lit up furiously. "How dare you make jokes? Don't you have any respect for the power that is in your grasp?" He spat with fury. "This sword is the ultimate weapon and you removed it," his voice turned bitter, "now you must master it, you must work harder than you have ever before, because if you continue trembling the way you are now, any battle you fight in will be over before it has really begun!"

Wow, chill dude. I got a smug smile on my face. Magisterial looked at me questioningly. "Well Kibito, maybe you would like to give it a try." I extended the heavy sword to him. "To you, this should be no problem." He curled both his hands around the hilt.

"Ready?" I asked him. He nodded and I let it go, leaving the entire weight to him. His eyes widened and he started falling face first to the ground. Just before he could fall he let go of the mighty sword and it sank deep into the ground while dust gathered around it while he fell flat on his bum next to it.

Great now I have to dig it out...

"Ugh, how embarrassing," Supreme Kai said under his breath.

The smug smile returned to my face. "You see? Like I said, it is heavy." He scowled at me, stood up and walked towards the sword again. He squatted down next to the sword and tried pulling it up again. I couldn't keep my composure anymore. I fell to the ground, laughing like a monkey and clutching my stomach in pain when I saw his poor attempt and facial expression.

He looked at his hands; they were glowing bright red. He blew frantically on them, desperate to cool them down. He stared at my laughing figure at the corner of his eyes and stood up and placed his arms behind his back. "Well, it is not that heavy." He retorted with a slight blush.

I laughed even harder; tears were forming in the corners of my eyes by now and I hit my fists on the ground in humour. "You... couldn't... e ...even lift it!" I managed to blurt out through the fits of laughter.

He spun around angrily; his face boiling red in anger and humiliation. "Well, I am not the one who has to use it, you are! So you had better get started." He panted heavily after his rant. I swallowed the rest of my laughs and got up. I nodded. I picked the sword up after a little effort.

My face contorted under the strain, "It's really heavy… grrr…"

Supreme Kai laughed at my expression. "Imagine the benefits of mastering such a weapon!" He said out of the blue. "It is probably even more intense than training with weighted clothing."

"Yeah I bet! I'm going to have to take it a little slow with this thing though… I mean… just lifting it out of that pedestal today completely drained me…" My breathing was getting more strained and my arms were starting to tremble under the incredible weight of the sword. I can't hold it for much longer.

"Allow me to create a scabbard for you to keep the sword in!" Supreme Kai suggested and waved his hands, materializing a large metal scabbard. I let the sword fall on the sheath with a loud clang. The ground shook as the sword was dropped.

I fell backward, my super Saiyan state leaving my exhausted body, "Oh man! That thing is just… unbelievable!" I exclaimed in awe. "I cannot wait to start training with it!" I breathed heavily as I stretched; trying to recover from the exertion.

Magisterial and I said our goodbyes and he transported us back to his realm, after Supreme Kai made me promise that I would come visit them, again, to Kibito's dismay.

I started chuckling as I thought back to Kibito's poor attempt to pick up the sword. That was a hoot and a half!

I actually had a hard time resting as my body ached from the incredible strain needed to move such a massive weapon, that night. As I lied down staring at the stars a smile spread across my face. I was determined not just use that sword, but to master it. The thought of how strong I could become while mastering it only excited me further.

When I awoke after a well-deserved rest the next morning, I immediately returned to the sheath where I had left the sword. My first futile attempts still heavily engraved in my memory as I grasped the handle of my sword; I took a few deep breaths before clenching my fists around the hilt and powering up.

Feeling ready, I knelt down and tried lifting the sword. It took considerable effort just to lift the massive weapon, but I found that it was easier than my first time. I clenched my teeth tight as I lifted up into the sky still holding the mighty blade. Even at full power I was struggling to keep the weapon firmly in my hands but my determination and desire to get stronger never wavered and pushed me not to give in.

Holding in my breath I lifted the blade above my head and started to swing it from side to side. The sword sliced gracefully through the air.

I found myself being dragged through the sky by the swords' mass, but I forced my hands not to let go. I let out a panicked yelp and flared my ki in an attempt to gather enough power to stop the weapon's momentum. My eyes widened as I saw the sword was going to drag me through my cabin before I could do anything to stop it.

The thing has a mind of its own!

I pushed with all my might and miraculously changed its course. Oh uh, my eyes widened as I saw what its new target was.

I let out a screech when the sword struck a mountain's side, leaving me stuck between rocks while the sword, still full of life, carried on like a machine; it cut completely through the mountain, making one half tumble to the ground, with the sword underneath it. How glad I was that I wasn't still holding it! The impact was forceful enough to make the entire planet shake. "Oops... I hope Magisterial didn't hear that." I hoped out loud. But before I could say 'damage control' Magisterial was there.

His eyes widened and his mouth fell agape. "What did you do to my mountain?" He yelled up at me angrily. "I am fine, thank you for asking!" I yelled back. I could see a frown resting on his face. "Don't sass me boy!" I cringed. "Sorry sir, but it is harder to control this sword than I first thought." His eyes turned understanding. "Oh, carry on then." He replied coolly and wandered off again. Really, just like that? I should create chaos more often.

I turned my attention back to the vegetation and rubble the sword nested itself. I muttered a curse under my breath. How on earth am I going to find it now? I let out an exasperated sigh and floated down to the rubble of the once ravishing mountain. I dug through the giant boulders the whole afternoon, the sun was starting to sink dangerously low into the horizon, and I haven't had a single thing to eat after breakfast. "I can't take this anymore!" I yelled frustrated and powered up to SS3. All the rubble, including the massive rocks, was blown away by my ki. I kept a sharp eye out for the Z-sword, hoping that when the rubble is cleared it will peek out.

As sure as hell; there it lay, embedded in the vegetation. I let out a relieved cry, happy that I finally found it. Why didn't I think about this earlier? Stupid brain! I walked over to the sword. I sighed as I released enough energy to pick it up once again. This time I made sure that I was leading it, not the other way around!

***

These antics continued for days as I would swing the sword upwards and fall completely backward from the force of the moving object. I spent only a short period of time, each day actually training with the sword and the rest of the day trying to dig it out of wherever I dropped it! This is such a frustrating process!

The next morning, I was up and about before the sun rose from its slumber. Ideas were running mad through my mind, remembering proper techniques of balancing the weapon; how to hold it, proper postures etc. I have studied in the books Magisterial brought me. My golden aura flashed violently around me as I powered up to my third transformation. I reached down and began lifting the weapon. Once in my death-grip I assumed a lowered posture with the sword slightly extended, most of the weight shifting from my shoulders to my torso. I looked down at the weapon and prepared myself for the motions.

I took a deep breath and started to swing the weapon out around my body, making an appropriate slice through the air and stopping the sword promptly where I told it to stop. "Ha!" I smiled happily at the weapon for listening to me for once. "Who's a good boy?" I playfully asked at the unanimated sword and stroked the top of its blade lovingly, pretending it's a dog's belly.

Trying again, I swung the other way finding it working much the same way. "Yes!" I exclaimed out loud! "I finally figured out how to operate you!"

The sword was still incredibly heavy, but with the appropriate grip and balance I found myself able to keep the weapon under my complete control. I continued practicing until the sun began to light up the sky.

I grinned slyly, realizing that Magisterial and Draco would be waking up soon. I put the sword down as quietly as I could and returned to the kitchen to get breakfast. I looked back to the sword as I walked off, "We'll have plenty of time together today, buddy, trust me!"

Magisterial was sitting on a large boulder with a bewildered look on his face after breakfast. I smiled, I stunned the Magisterial Kai. Who can put that on their résumé?

"Hey you're Brilliantness, why is your mouth hanging open like it is fly-season?" Draco asked confused. I smiled at his ignorance.

Magisterial looked over to Draco acknowledging him momentarily before looking up into the sky again.

"Huh?" Draco looked up, following his gaze and gasped. I was handling the sword like a true pro; it looked like I have been training with the sword for years, never mind just five days. I made the sword slash the air from every possible angle; if the sky had limbs, it would have been dismembered on the highest degree by now!

I spun it around my wrist, aimed at the ground below, and dove in for a devastating strike at a boulder, resulting in an explosion of dirt and rock, flying in every direction. I put the sword on its sheath dangling down my back in one easy motion and started to walk back to Magisterial and Draco.

Draco ran over to me, "Wow, that's amazing! Where did you learn to use a sword like that?"

I laughed, "Piccolo taught me how to handle a normal sword when I was four years old." I smiled. "I just implemented his teachings in this sword, with the right equations and physic-laws, anything is possible." I winked at him. "Oh and the books you gave me sir helped a lot!" I thanked him.

Draco scoffed, not believing a word I had just said. "Ugh, please mister stronghold! Even if you figured out how to use a sword… that still doesn't explain how you are able to lift the weapon so much easier!"

I laughed bashfully, "Well you see, what I was struggling to remember were techniques that I could use to keep the sword more under control. Because the last couple of days it was wielding me, not I it. Trust me; this thing is still monstrously heavy!" I grunted, my back started to hurt under the weight of my obese sword, "But once you're holding it properly, it becomes much easier to use the sword's mass and momentum to your advantage rather than the other way around!" I explained.

"Amazing," Magisterial and Draco exclaimed at the same time while watching as I jumped back up into the sky to continue my training with the sword. I must admit, I was showing off a wee bit, and I liked it!

My training continued at a riotous pace; each training session lasting longer than the last. Soon it wasn't just my strength and stamina rising, but my speed increased tremendously. The weapon felt like a normal sword after about five months of continuous training. I could lift it effortlessly in my base form by now!

"If this keeps up, you're going to run out of ways to train him sir!" Draco chuckled one morning at the breakfast table. Magisterial nodded in response and chuckled himself. "I wonder how the other guards are going to react when they see a young boy wielding the Z-sword." He laughed when he imagined such a picture. A small blush formed on my cheeks.

"Truly extraordinary … I believe it's time for you to implement the Z-sword for real in an authentic battle, while facing off a tough enemy..." He said looking at me.

I smiled brilliantly, my face screaming that I am ready to meet any challenge _and_ rise above it.

"Bring it!"

**************************

_So….. What did you think!_

If you read this, you have to review! Or if you are shy PM me. I just loooove hearing from all of you! :D What was your favourite part? Mine was Kibito trying to pick up the Z-sword! hahahahaha

Thanx for reading!

Have a good one!


	14. Chapter 13: Friend or Foe?

_Hey! The new chapter has arrived! I hope that you are anxious to read it!_

*applauds all the new subscribers and favourites*

Thank you for all my trusted reviewers for commenting on the previous chapter: Sirius Potter2, unwanted half-Saiyan demon, Rawr, RKF22, mks 12 98, Vienne, Vegetaslave87 and pix. You guys fuel me to write! *starts sobbing* I love you guys! XD (I really loved hearing about your fav parts! Haha silly Kibito XD)

Vegetaslave87: Don't worry, the reunion is on the near horizon. To be precise, it will occur after two more chapters. (I want Gohan to meet a few more peepz and enemies before I send him back.) Hope you can hold out for a little while longer! And I ain't saying anything about Trunks and Gomih… *wink wink*

Disclaimer: DBZ is not mine… (WHYYYYYYYY?!)

Happy reading!  


CHAPTER 13: Friend or foe?

"Today's lesson is going to involve ki-manipulation and mind-control." Magisterial said while we were heading towards the training field. "Mind-control…" I repeated in awe, I couldn't wait for him to teach me the new techniques. He chuckled at my tone. "Yes, but we are first going to focus on ki-manipulation."

We stopped on the little hill on the fields and I sat down, looking up at my mentor as he continued explaining. "You can alter the ki-signals of plants, animals, people and basically every living thing in existence, to enhance your senses, change your physical appearance, making people see you how _you_ want them to see you and draw forth energy from these fore mentioned separate entities to mask you own ki-signal; you will even be able to create a whole new identity by this action."

"Okay, let's do this!" I exclaimed enthusiastically.

He smiled at me. "Okay son, close your eyes."

My eyes fell shut and I welcomed the darkness. "Good, now concentrate on the life-signals of the plants, the trees and the animals around you." I cleared my mind and searched for all the life forces I could locate on the planet.

I nodded slowly, letting Magisterial know that I completed what he asked of me. "Focus on only one of those ki's." He continued easefully. I inhaled deeply and focussed on the ki of a tree. "Now make that ki your own." How am I supposed to do that? Sensing my distress he continued explaining. "Switch the ki of the life form you have chosen with yours. It is you and you are it."

I inhaled deeply again and visualised myself as the tree; my ki radiating through the stumps and my leaves bristling through the light summer day breeze. "Good job!" Magisterial gushed. "You may open your eyes now." I opened my eyes slowly and saw that I was noticeably taller; in fact Magisterial looked like a mere insect from my current view.

As I waved my hands down at Magisterial in confusion, I noticed it. My hands were branches! "I became the tree!" I yelled down at my mentor, "And yet I don't feel any different; it feels like I am in my normal human form at this moment now."

He smiled at me. "Great, you did it correctly; now visualise yourself as something else, preferably an animal." I nodded and closed my eyes again. I located the ki of a wildcat wandering in the nearby woods; perfect!

I visualised myself with four feet and a soft patch of fur. "Well done!" Magisterial exclaimed. I opened my eyes. I was now shorter than Magisterial again. I looked around me and frowned. Why was everything in black and white?

And to top it all off, I had this intense urge to lick myself from top to bottom, but I suppressed the strange feeling; maybe later, not while I have an audience lurking around me…

"Everything is in black and white." I thought aloud.

Magisterial chuckled. "Indeed, you are in the body of the Hyalina Tigress, known for not being able to see colour."

I frowned. "Tigress? So you are saying I am a girl right now?"

He laughed. "Now that you have mentioned it; yes." A deep roar of disgust automatically boomed out of my throat; this action felt so natural.

"Concentrate on your own ki again." He instructed. I imagined my own body standing in front of me in my mind and my ki enveloped my current form. I opened my eyes and looked down at my hands. I let out a horrified shriek. My 'hand' was covered in feathers and random branches shot out of where my fingers should have been. I noticed that I was still situated on all four legs instead of two.

"Aaaaah! Don't eat me, I am too chewy! Unless you like chewy, then I am not chewy at all! AHHHHH!" Draco yelled terrified and ran into the plains.

"Sir?" I questioned confused with a deep frown on, what I presumed, was my face.

"You didn't concentrate, Gohan," He lectured. "You focussed on all the ki's surrounding you, instead of _just_ your own, resulting in you to combine them all in one form."

I sighed; oops. I laughed as I funny thought crossed my mind. "I could really freak the human scientists and biologists out back on earth, if I turn into a weird specimen like this and walk into their labs." I let out another chuckle. "Can't you just imagine the stunned expressions on their faces?" I asked rhetorically and continued laughing.

Magisterial ignored my joke. "Clear your mind and _only_ think about your original ki."

I swallowed my laughs and regained my composure. Magisterial was very serious about training. I closed my eyes and did what he said. I was relieved to see that I returned to my normal beautiful self again.

I shot Magisterial a thumbs up. "Great technique if I ever want to get the element of surprise on my side." He nodded approvingly.

"That is indeed the reason this technique was created in the first place." I stared at the area where Draco rushed off to.

"Shouldn't we go after him?" I asked concerned.

Magisterial shook his head. "Later, let's get busy with the next technique." I waited in suspense for him to continue. We were on fire today!

"You can also enhance your abilities of hearing and vision by using the ki-particles in the air and nature surrounding you to heighten what you see, hear or feel."

Sounds promising, "How do I do that?" I asked intrigued.

He smiled at my eagerness. "You are going to have to keep an open mind with this approach."

I nodded. "Sure"

"You know that the entire universe and everything in it consists out of matter?" I nodded again, remembering studying about it a few months ago.

"Well, every fragment of the universe has its own signal too, not a radiating life-force, but a small, yet noticeable energy. I want you to try to feel it."

Okay, doesn't sound too hard… I took a deep breath to steady myself and widened my searched parameters. I felt all the life signals surrounding me but I dug deeper, searching for something beyond that. I noticed that there was a small energy tugging in the clouds and playing in the winds. I smiled proudly.

"I…I can feel the energy of the universe!" I exclaimed with amazement. Who would have thought that this is possible?

"Magnificent; now use those fragments of energy to pull yourself closer to certain areas." I squinted my eyes in a specific spot and used the elements to see further ahead that was humanly possible; I pulled myself closer without moving. I could see the other side of the planet!

"Amazing…" I breathed as I perceived the surroundings of my hut, while standing miles away from it.

Magisterial chuckled. "It is, isn't it? Now try using it to improve your sound."

I nodded and concentrated on my ears instead of my eyes. I tugged on the vibrations of the energy and miraculously enough, my hearing improved drastically; I could hear Draco's heaves as clear as a bell; he was still running frantically and was about 10 miles away.

"Poor Draco, he is still running." I shook my head out of pity and Magisterial chuckled. "He has to stop sooner or later, son."

"And of course I saved the best for last; the technique you can use to change your ki-signal completely, if you ever want to mask you identity. But you can only manipulate it to those signals you have felt before and mix and match different ones. You would appear to be an entirely different person." He continued.

I was so excited to learn more. "So I can use some of your ki and Draco's ki and add it to mine to mask it?" I asked. He nodded.

"Try it." He encouraged.

I closed my eyes and let out a deep breath. I grasped Magisterial's and Draco's ki and mixed it together in my mind. When I was ready I added a dash of mine to the mixture and let _that_ ki surround my body. I still had my own ki, but the intensity of the mixed ki's of my comrade and sensei, made my real one fade into the shadows.

"Perfect!" Magisterial exclaimed and applauded. "You will still need to practice these moves to perfect them of course, but you managed these manoeuvres very quickly; actually more quickly than I had expected." He patted me on the back. "I am very proud of you son."

A warm feeling spread through my bones at his compliments. "Now let's move on to the next division." I gulped. He made it sound brutal.

"You want to take a few minutes to rest?" He asked concerned, when he noticed my exasperated expression.

I shook my head fiercely. I didn't need to rest. "I am still as fit as a fiddle." I said with a toothy smile; eager to learn the new techniques.

"Okay then, next is of course the mind-control section: you will be taught how to read minds of people who are within a close perimeter of you; and if you train hard and perfect this technique, you will be able to widen you perimeter and read people's minds from miles away."

Magisterial snapped his fingers and an exhausted Draco fell out of the sky and landed in front of us. He looked around him frantically and a little dazed.

"Did you guys sleigh that terrible beast?" He asked, his voice quivered out of fear.

I stifled a laugh. "No Draco, he was too strong for me." I winked at Magisterial and he smiled back. "He is still at large and galloped into the direction of those woods," I pointed to where he was running to earlier.

He gulped loudly. "Are you saying that _that_ monster was heading in the same direction as I was?"

I nodded slowly with big eyes. "And it is said that he will gobble up anything that disturbs it, especially midgets…"

He noticeably quivered; the poor thing was petrified. I slapped him on the back. "I got you again buddy." I said and let out a chuckle.

"Got me with what?" He asked confused.

I smiled and shook my head. "When you say 'orange' very slowly, it sounds like 'gullible.'" He frowned at me and mouthed the word 'orange', probably saying it in his mind. "No they don't… Oh…." He finally caught my joke after a while and I snickered. He pouted and went to sit on a nearby boulder with his hands crossed over his chest. "Real mature…" He spat.

Magisterial cleared his throat, wanting to get my attention. I reverted my attention back to him. "Okay son, put your hand on Draco." Draco raised his hands in protest. "Whoa, hold your horses your majesty, but I am not going to allow that perverted boy to lay a finger on this perfection." He pointed to himself.

I scoffed, "You wish." Magisterial gave him a stern glare.

"Fine, but only this once, and I am only doing it for you sir!" Draco saluted patriotically. He turned and squinted at me, "Don't get any ideas lover boy!" I frowned in disgust. "Ew; I don't like this any more than you do, so let's just get this over with." I walked closer to him and placed my hand on his shoulder.

"Good, now clear your mind of everything."

Draco giggled. "That won't be too hard because there isn't much to clear!" I made my grip tighter and he squealed out of pain. "Okay, okay! Sheesh, lighten up!"

"Now use your ki to push through his mind; it will feel like a plastic barrier at first, but you must just push through it." I pushed through his mind, quite easily I must say. I could hear Draco's voice clearly in my mind.

_ I understand that Scissors can beat Paper, and I get how Rock can beat Scissors, but there's no way in hell that Paper can beat Rock! Paper is supposed to magically wrap around Rock leaving it immobile? Why the hell can't paper do this to scissors? Screw scissors, why can't paper do this to people? Why aren't sheets of college-ruled notebook paper constantly suffocating students as they attempt to take notes in class? I'll tell you why, because paper can't beat anybody, a rock would tear it up in 2 seconds. When I play rock/ paper/ scissors I always choose rock. Then when somebody claims to have beaten me with their paper I can punch them in the face with my already clenched fist and say "oh I'm sorry I thought paper would protect you! _

I laughed out loud. "Are you still upset that I beat you in rock paper scissors yesterday?"

He blushed. "No! What makes you say that?" He defended, but he didn't notice that my hand still rested on his shoulder. He thinks he knows everything.

"That's because I can read your mind genius!" I exclaimed.

He was rendered stunned. "Since when?" He asked nervously.

"Just now, Magisterial just taught me." I answered.

He sighed relieved. "Good…" he breathed. He must have some pretty incriminating thoughts hidden in that peanut of his.

"You will also be able to communicate effectively through other's minds if you wish. It works the same, but instead of pushing through the barrier, talk through it." Magisterial instructed and I nodded. I placed my hand on Draco's shoulder again and pushed ki in the direction of his mind. The barrier broke and I had access to his thoughts again; '_row row, row your boat gently down the stream_… _Uh... How does it go further?_

I laughed. _Testing one two three. Is this thing on?_ I asked in my mind.

Draco's eyes shot to my body and stared at me wearily. "Did you say something?" He asked in a jittery voice. My eyes lit up with excitement. _ It worked! Draco can you hear me?_ I shot back in my mind.

He cringed and jumped back, creating a small distance between us. "Why did I hear your irritating voice in _my_ head?!" He yelled, confused.

I chuckled. "Chill Draco-ula, weren't you paying attention; Magisterial _just_ taught me it. Oh wait; you were too busy singing children songs!" I laughed and he scowled at me. He jumped back on his rock again with his hands crossed at his chest.

I turned to Magisterial when he started talking again. "On extreme circumstances you can push ideas or suggestions in other's head; to them it will only appear as a whisper in their mind, but on that way you can easily manipulate someone weaker than yourself to do things to your will." His voice trailed off. "But you are not ready for that technique yet, it requires a lot of training…" His voice became distant. "And the next technique is only reserved as a last resort; it is very dangerous."

I gulped at the intensity of Magisterial's voice. "The mind crush; it is a powerful technique you can implement on your foe, where you take the bad memories and thoughts of that person and use it to your advantage. You can actually grab the unwanted memories out of your rival's brain and make them flash in front of them in their minds, causing them emotional distress. And to further the damage you can send your ki into their mind, they will be rendered immobile by the excruciating pain radiating through their vulnerable mind, like it is being crushed. Gohan, you can only use this attack when all else has failed." I nodded, understanding. "When you perfect the mind-read techniques you will be able to use this attack."

"GOHAN HELP!" Draco yelled. I was snatched out of my peaceful sleep and immediately on high alert.

"Draco?" I called.

"OVER HERE!" He yelled back, distressed.

I stretched my mind, searching for any ki's; I couldn't locate any other than Draco's, but I could feel about twelve other ki's surrounding Magisterial. This is probably an ambush! I lowered my own ki, rendering it almost as zero. I sneaked around the wall and peered for anything suspicious, there was nothing.

I just need to get the z-sword; it is next to the fireplace. I heard Draco's struggle, but I still couldn't find any ki's except for his. Maybe he is playing a prank on me, again! Nevertheless I peeked around the corner and saw Draco fighting an invisible enemy.

"Ha!" I yelled at him. "I knew you were pulling a..." I gasped as I was suddenly punched in the stomach. What the hell? I recovered quickly and got into a fighting position. I looked around me; my vision and hearing were instinctively heightened by the thought of danger. Draco fell to the floor with a loud thump.

"Draco, go tell Magisterial that we have an intruder." I instructed him while still looking around in every direction for a sign of his whereabouts.

"I am on it." He gasped out and headed towards the door. One of the plants near Draco ruffled and I tackled the air next to it. My arms curled around a warm solid body. Yes! I got it... He struggled out of my death grip and I grabbed a piece of his clothing and tugged it with all my might.

A fabric sheared under my hand and I could suddenly see a person underneath me. He wore a goofy smile on his face and he had big friendly blue eyes. He smiled up at me. "Hey." He greeted friendly. "I would shake your hand but you are kinda crushing it with your butt." His eyes suddenly shot wide in desperation. "Please don't fart!" He pleaded. I laughed; this dude didn't seem evil at all, but I was still on high alert.

"Well unfortunately I had three helpings of beans for supper yesterday…" I mocked. His eyes shot even wider and he struggles intensified under my grip. I laughed and stood up, extending my hand towards him to help him up. He didn't hesitate at all; he grabbed my hand eagerly to get up.

"Damn, you are hardcore!" He complimented me and extended his hand for a high five. I chuckled and returned the gesture. "I am Gohan by the way." I introduced myself.

"Oh I know; you have become quite popular in the fighting universe."

I smiled bashfully. "Really?"

He nodded. "Oh yes, your name is frequently used on the lips of even the most extreme fighters."

How flattering. "And you are?" I urged.

"I am Reynard The Great, but you can just call me The Great." I chuckled, this guy was funny. He picked up what was left of that rag I shredded and pouted. "Gailo isn't going to be too happy when he hears that I killed his cape of invisibility."

"Sorry about that," I muttered. "When I sense something out of place I immediately go into combat mode."

He nodded, "I know, Magisterial teaches his students to always be on alert. Rather safe than for dinner!"

My eyes shot wider. "You were one of his students!" I realised aloud. I remembered seeing a picture of him in that album.

He made a face, "Duh! How else do you think did I get here? Only a few people know about this planets' existence!"

I shrugged. "So the other twelve ki's surrounding Magisterial is his other students?"

He nodded in confirmation. "He summoned us; apparently he has some announcement or something."

Oh, I wonder what it is… "Then we should probably go meet them." I suggested.

He nodded. "Duh; no offence, but you aren't very bright dude…" He flashed away in an instant; I followed shortly after with my instantaneous teleportation. As soon as I fazed into the kitchen, thirteen unfamiliar eyes stared back at me. I smiled friendly back at them and gave a little wave.

"Hey there! I am Gohan."

I introduced myself. Nobody said a thing; I swear I could have dropped a piece of grass, and would have heard it.

A tall muscular man shoved through the little crowd to the front. He walked closer to me slowly. He had wavy blond hair flowing down to his shoulders and wide brown eyes. He was wearing a peculiar midnight-blue gi with chocolate brown boots and belt; but then again, they were all wearing that.

He stopped when he was about two feet away from me. "So you are Gohan." He acknowledged, looking me over. I nodded, "That is me." I chirped out and placed my hand on the back of my head while chuckling nervously.

Nobody seemed amused; only Reynard managed a smile, but that gesture was returned with angry stares. What is up with these people?!

"I am Gailo, the head of Magisterial's army, the most elite defence entity in the universe, and I suppose that you will one day join our little pack." He said in a stern voice. I nodded and raked my brain for the appropriate reply.

"Uh, yes, I consider it a great honour to someday be considered into your midst."

He nodded, approvingly. "Indeed, it is a privilege."

He circled me with his hands behind his back. I stood completely still as he examined me.

"I must say I am surprised by your appearance. When Magisterial talked about you, I imagined you being a full-grown male twice my size. But this…" He waved to my body.

"Yeah, I get that a lot." I flashed a toothy smile at him.

He ignored my charming gesture and lifted my left arm up with his pinkie. "Scrawny… It doesn't look like you can hold that much power…" I repressed a growl. People underestimating me just make my blood boil every time. I didn't know if this was supposed to be a compliment or an insult.

"Coming from me; definitely a compliment." He stated.

Oh, he can read minds _too_. I tried to push more ki into my mind, creating a thicker barrier. He laughed. "You don't really think that that pathetic layer can prohibit me from seeing what is going on in your mind, do you?" I didn't answer his question.

"Boy I have been training and in this business," He pointed to his comrades, "for almost one thousand years. Weak futile attempts like that are useless in my presence." I rolled my eyes.

Whatever, I can take him, I thought. His eyes widened in disbelief. "You really think that you, a mere child who has about two years of training, can manage _me_?" He asked rhetorically. I shook my head slowly but my mind had other ideas. _I could take him any day of the week_. My arrogant Saiyan mind shouted out. My eyes widened in distress as I saw Gailo's veins in his forehead become visible.

Crap. Stupid mind, shut up! I cursed myself.

He turned to his comrades. "Did you guys hear that; if I am not mistaken, that sounded like a full-blown challenge?" They all nodded with smirks on their faces. "That sure did, and we haven't seen you in action in years." A girl's voice rang through the cafeteria. He smiled lovingly at her.

"You convinced me, love." He turned to me viciously and I flinched. He started cracking his neck and fists.

I let out a deep breath, there is no way I am getting out of this, and I might as well try. I got into a fighting stance and everyone gasped. "He is actually stupid enough to challenge Gailo!" I heard several voices exclaim in shock behind me.

He started charging at me, but just before he could hit me I used Instantaneous teleportation to teleport back to my cabin. I scurried through the mess that was left behind by me and Reynald's quarrel earlier. Where is it? I questioned in panic. I could feel Gailo's power rise greatly. Relief filled my body as I found my trusted sword.

Now I am ready…

I teleported back to the cafeteria just to be warmly welcomed with a boulder of a fist. I flew backwards with an incredible speed; I had no defence up so the hit did more damage. I travelled so fast that I didn't have time to stop myself from crashing into an opposing mountain. I collided with the monstrosity face first. The force was so big that it came crashing down, without any way for me to escape. The boulders and giant rocks fell on top of me.

I transformed into my first SS transformation, causing the boulders and rocks to fly from my body and disintegrate. I can't believe the first blow did so much damage, I noticed when I felt blood trickling down my forehead. I have my work cut out for me…

I fazed right in front of him and tackled him to the ground. He pouted at me and threw me off, causing me to crash into a tree. "That's for destroying my invisibility cloak!" He yelled and charged at me again, this time he did not miss.

I gasped as my air-flow was cut-off by his gigantic head colliding with my stomach. I stumbled backwards and crashed against a tree. My eyes widened as I saw he was charging again; I instinctively grabbed the Z-sword from my back and held it threatingly in front of me while I got up. He stopped in his tracks and looked at the sword in surprise. "_You_ have the z-sword?" His voice held a mixture of awe and surprise.

I didn't confirm it. I ran towards him and kicked him in the stomach; he went flying through the woods. I clasped the sword more firmly in my fist as I neared my opponent, who I was surprised to see, stand on his feet after my strong attack.

"When I heard that the z-sword was released by a mortal, I never expected it would have been a child." His voice was filled with disbelief.

He yelled as he released more energy and charged at me with full speed. I swung the sword in front of me as he neared, but he jumped up, my shot barely missing the soles of his feet and kicked me in the nose. I stuttered backwards and he grabbed my arm holding the z-sword. He twisted it in an unnatural angle behind my back and I squealed in pain.

"Had enough?" He breathed over my shoulder.

"I am just warming up…" I spat out with effort. I smiled as a brilliant idea flashed through my brain.

He laughed. "You are going to drop the sword on me? Funny…" Stupid mind reader! Well, we will see about that. I let go of the sword and the massive weapon fell on top of him and he let go of his grip on my arm.

He let out a frustrated cry as he tried to hold he posture with the sword, but it failed. He fell flat on his back with the sword between his two palms. He was struggling to get it away from his body. I almost considered helping him, but just then he used all his might to fling the sword away.

I bended down and caught the sword in one hand, before it could hit the ground. He stared at me with shock; I smiled smugly at him and turned the sword around my fingers before putting it back in its sheath. As I did this I transformed into my second transformation. My hair spiked up, my muscles grew and lighting surrounded my body. I was showing off a bit, but I liked it!

He shot me a confused glare, but still charged. I threw my arms in front of my face, to brace myself for the impact. He collided with me and I was surprised to see that I was skidding across the grass by his force.

I released more energy and pushed him back. _He_ was skidding now. I punched him through the face, but it didn't affect him. He grabbed my fist and started crushing it. My agonised cry echoed across the planet. I jumped into the air and planted both my feet in his unsuspecting face. He started to lessen his grip, enough for me to rip my fist away and punch him as hard as I could in his face. This time he went flying into a boulder; the boulder cracked as his head collided with it.

Not wasting any time, and ignoring the pain in my fist; I charged a Kamehameha-wave. It hit his body before he could see it coming. An explosion erupted and I shielded my face from the debris scattering around.

My hands fell to my sides again as I perceived the damage I did. The dust settled and I was surprised to see that he was walking towards me; my attack barely did any damage to him. He wiped blood from the corner of his lip and smiled at me. "The rumours are true; you are damn strong. I must admit, stronger that I had expected."

He laughed as he saw that I was already charging another blast in my palms. "You don't waste any time do you? But not so easy." I frowned at him suspiciously.

He let out another chuckle. "I am still stronger than you." He retorted.

I shook my head. "I doubt that; I can sense ki, and yours at the moment isn't very impressive. I presume that you have more energy stored in your body, otherwise you wouldn't have challenged me." I noted.

He smiled. "Not bad for a kid. But how do you know that I don't have another transformation, like yourself?" He asked, smugly.

I smiled arrogantly. "Then show it." I called his bluff.

He held his arms in the air. "Fine, you got me, I don't have another transformation."

"Thought so..." I stared at him with malice eyes. I was disappointed; I expected more from the leader of Magisterial's army.

He stretched and smiled. "I am in the mood for a real fight." He snapped his fingers and started powering up. The planet shook at the intensity of his power, but I stood firmly on my spot, his power wasn't intimidating.

I realised that his new power was higher than that of my current state. I quickly powered up to SS3 before his power-up was complete and waited for him to finish.

A few seconds later his yell ceased and he looked at me. He lifted his eyebrows in confusion as he looked me over again. "You have another transformation hidden in that small body of yours." He stated, not surprised.

We both got into fighting stances. I blasted off into the sky, not allowing him to make the first move. But to my surprise he was already above me. But I didn't slow down; on the contrary, I raised my speed enough for us to be at the same level and I head-butted him in the stomach. He flew backwards.

I fazed next to him and sent a flurry of punches his way. He blocked each and every one of my blows. He grabbed both my arms and threw them away from my body; I was completely open for an attack now.

Crap! I saw his muscular arm approaching my stomach in a fast pace; everything was in slow motion, but I was too slow to stop it and he hit me. I doubled over in pain as his fist finally reached my abdomen. He was attacking me with millions of punches and kicks now; I was hit like a punching bag; I couldn't block anything! Pings of pain shot through my body from each hit colliding with my torso.

I sent more power out, trying to get him away from me. It worked, my raising ki blew him away like a used tissue; he spiralled through the air. I didn't waste any time; I was next to him in a split-second and punched him veraciously.

Every punch connected with his body, and I didn't allow him to block a single blow_. I_ was in control now. His body fell weak under my punches after a while and I decided to stop.

His body fell to the ground softly and I floated down too. He easily got up into a sitting position and sat crossed legged in front of me with a smile planted on his face.

"You can sure give a beating kid!" He complimented. "I know," I retorted arrogantly. I frowned as I felt something in my head; it felt as if something was tugging on my brain. I ignored it and returned my attention back to him.

"I beat you." I said in a monotone. He laughed. "Who said the fight is over?" He asked, hurt apparent in his voice. "You didn't think that this was going to be so easy?" I shrugged indifferently and he chuckled.

"Well I must say; you are definitely strong and sad for me to admit; but your power towers far over mine." He said coolly, acting like his ego didn't take a great hit.

I smiled. "Admission is the first step." He snickered at my joke.

"But I am sure your sensei told you that strength isn't everything, right?"

I nodded at his statement. "So, what is your point?"

"I am saying that while you are magnitudes stronger than me; I still have the advantage."

I scoffed. "And why do you say that?" I played along with his little charade.

He smiled deviously. "You have a weak mind..."

An excruciating pain shot through my head. I yelled an agonised cry as I clutched my throbbing head.

"You see, I am from the planet Ishtar in the Southern Quadrant, I don't know if you are familiar with my species' abilities…" He looked down at me kindly, probably wanting an acknowledgement or something. I shot him a malicious glare instead and he chuckled. "Well then where was I…? Right, my kind has the power to control the mind," He pointed one of his muscular fingers to his head. This guy has muscles everywhere, even on his eyelids! ", and I have to say, you carry a lot of rage and pain with you Gohan."

I tried to power-up; trying to get rid of his hold on my mind. He laughed. "Not so fast tiger," He taunted and made the grip on my mind tighter. My scream grew more painful; it felt as if my head was being crushed. Ah, this was probably the mind-crush technique Magisterial talked about earlier.

I pushed more ki to my mind, trying to create a barrier but it was useless. It only made me weaker.

"What is this?!" I heard Magisterial yell. "I go to the bathroom for ten minutes and you destroy my planet…" His voice trailed off, he probably got a glimpse of our fight. "Gailo that is not a good idea, stop it!" Magisterial's desperate yet stern voice ran through the field.

His grip on my mind lessened enough for the pain to become tolerable while he was talking with Magisterial. I saw a gap and took it. I flew forward and head-butted him in the chest. He struggled backwards and clicked his tongue at me. He made a movement with his fingers and the mind-grip grew more intense than before. I fell to the ground, gasping in pain.

"Don't worry sir; I am not going to hurt him. I just want to see how much little macho man can withstand, that's all." He said reassuringly.

Magisterial kept his composure, but I could see that he was not happy with this. "Fine, do as you wish. But remember, I did warn you."

"Noted," Gailo said and returned his undivided attention to me.

"So where were we?" He asked mockingly. I managed to shoot him a death stare through the pain.

"Oh yeah!" He exclaimed, remembering.

He sank down to his knees, sinking to my level. "I see that you have fought with Frieza," He said out of the blue. "I must say I am impressed, you took the bastard down as a five year old!" He let out an impressed whistle. "Damn, no wonder Magisterial took you under his wing."

I tried to fight the pain, I tried to get him out of my head, but I couldn't achieve it.

"Resistance is futile," He murmured as he continued to scurry in my mind like a sewer rat. I gasped; he found the archive where I sealed my most unwanted memories and opened it. I let out a silent scream as all my disappointments flashed in front of me. The physical pain was nothing compared to this. My body twisted in agony as the fight with Cell paused in front of my eyes.

I looked at Magisterial for help; I extended my hand in his direction, pleading for him to make this horrible pain stop. He looked at me with pity and his eyes read: _"Hold on for just a little more."_

My hand clenched again as he rewinded my battle with Cell and played it over and over again; my most hated memory. My eyes shot wide as he replayed the first moments with Cell. "No, please," I gasped out in desperation, but he ignored me solidly.

I relived the most horrifying event of my life and to make it worse did Gailo keep whispering negative things in my ear. "You are not strong enough. You are not good enough. It is your entire fault." He continued chanting. I flinched with every insult. But then my weakness was replaced with fury. I wanted to kill him...

Who does this guy think he is to treat me, a total stranger to him, like this? I enveloped in the pain, starting to enjoy it. I clenched my fist; lightning played on my clenched hand. I slowly started to get to my knees, then to my feet; ignoring the tighter grip he issued on my brain. I saw, with pleasure, that his eyes widened in panic and he started chanting more insults.

Silly mortal, you are just fuelling my fire...

He backed away as I walked toward him. He looked at Magisterial, seeking an explanation. Magisterial shot him an '_I told you so_,' look. He stared at my nearing figure again in panic and put his finger to the side of his head in concentration. I flinched as I saw the disappointed eyes of my sister stare back at me from our last encounter.

*Flashback*

_I was busy putting on my gi, the one similar to Piccolo's, just without the turban. No hat can restrict these hairs of mine. I smiled at my little joke as I put my shoes on. I stretched to make the clothes fit perfectly and was about to blast off into the sky with Dad when Gomih cornered me._

She took my hands in her own soft grasp. Her eyes were red, as if she was crying a lot recently.

"Sis?" I asked concerned.

Her grasp tightened around my hands, I almost flinched at the force. "Please don't go Gohan, stay here with Mom and me at the lookout." She begged; her voice was a little raspy.

"Gomih, Dad and Piccolo are counting on me to be, there." I interjected.

Her eyes shot wide in fury. "Why? Why do they need you to be there, near that piece of crap?" She asked.

I searched for an answer but I honestly didn't know why.

The corner of her mouth twitched into a small smile as she saw that I couldn't find a logical answer. "See, Dad is the only one who is going to fight. He will take Cell down easily and earth will be saved. You are not needed there." She persuaded.

I must say, she had a point. Why did Dad want me to be there so badly anyways? "Okay, I will stay here with you guys." I said to her. I must admit, I was a bit disappointed that I wasn't going to see the battle first hand, but if my presence was going to make Gomih at ease, I will rather do that than see a battle.

"Thank you Gohan, thank you, thank you!" She exclaimed gleefully and did a little happy dance. I laughed at her silliness.

Dad suddenly appeared out of nowhere in the middle of our conversation. I am never going to get used to this instant transmission. "Son, are you ready to go?" He asked while putting his hand on my shoulder.

I turned to face him, looking him directly in the eyes. "Dad," I started. "I have decided to stay behind here with Gomih and Mother." I said. His eyes shot wide in terror. "No you can't do that!" He said in a panic-stricken voice. I was confused by his outburst.

"But Dad, why do you need me there any way?" I asked. "It's not like I am going to stand a chance against Cell. You will probably beat him in the first round."

He shook his head at me. "And what if I don't win, and Cell beats me?" He asked rhetorically, but I answered him anyway. "Then Vegeta, Trunks and Piccolo will combine their abilities to defeat him. They are anyway a lot stronger than me." Dad scoffed. Why wasn't he agreeing with me; did he want me to fight Cell?

"And if they fail, you are our only option, Gohan." He tried to persuade me. I refused to look him in the eyes; knowing that that will make me give in. He put a finger under my chin and lifted my face up to him; forcing me to look him in the eyes. Ugh, I hated when he does that!

"Son, look at me. The fate of the earth may depend on you today." He looked at everybody on the lookout. "They are all depending on you. Don't let them down." He said. I sighed, that convinced me.

"Okay Dad." I answered. I will not let my family and friends down!

Gomih ran to Dad. "Daddy, please don't take Gohan with you, I don't want him to get hurt." She begged with tears in her eyes. Dad did his best to ignore her.

"Gomih, I will be fine." I comforted. "Dad is there, he won't let anything bad happen to me."

Her shoulders slumped in defeat. "You have already made up your mind huh?" She said sadly.

I nodded slowly. She sighed. "Then there is nothing I can do to stop you."

I hugged her. "See you after the fight. I will stick you for a milkshake!" I smiled and turned to Dad again. She forced a smile and waved me goodbye. "See you."

Dad looked down at me. "Ready now?" He asked eagerly.

"Yeah, let's go." I answered with enthusiasm.

He smiled at me and put his fingers on his forehead and his hand on my shoulder. Just before he could teleport us, Mother ran to us with an incredible speed, she left a dust trail behind her!

"Goku!" She yelled out of breath when she reached us. "Promise me that you won't let Gohan fight." She pleaded.

Dad didn't answer her; he wore a 'busted' expression on his face. I frowned. Does he really want me to fight?

"Goku, answer me!" She pleaded again.

"Sorry Hun got to run!" He exclaimed and transported us to the Cell Games.

The last image I saw before we transported was Mother and Gomih in each others' arms, crying...  
  
*Flashback ends….*

That did it; I snapped. My arms and legs shot wide around me like a star as I broke free from his mind-grasp and released all the power I had inside of me out of rage. I reached the limit of my SS3 state but I didn't stop there. My power rose to a level above that. I could feel my hair shrink back to its normal length and spike upwards. My muscles shot bigger and the most awesome power I have ever felt before shot through my bones. The planet shook and began to crumble underneath me but I didn't care in the least, I just wanted to crush that bastard.

I finally stopped powering up and searched the planet for my foe. I saw him hanging from a cliff at a nearby mountain. "Gotcha," I sneered under my breath and rushed to his side. I was next to him in a fraction of a split second and started pounding him. He tried his best but he wasn't able to block my fists.

I felt a feather-like weight tugging on my mind again. I threw him to the ground. "You really think that cheap parlour trick is going to work on me again?!" I yelled down at him.

I floated down next to his now mangled body.

"Magisterial, guys!" He yelled for help. I glowered at him and aimed my hand to his heart.

"Any last words?" I sneered with a smile on my face. I was going to enjoy ending his miserable existence.

His eyes shot wide as he saw me starting to charge a beam in my palm. Just before I could fire it at his stupid face, I heard Magisterial in my head. "_Gohan, you are not a killer_." He said in a soft voice.

I tried to push his voice away; I wasn't in the mood to listen to reason. It didn't work. "_Listen to me!"_ He yelled in my mind and I flinched at the loud volume. _"This is not your enemy; he was one of my students, he is your friend."_ He said very slowly. I scoffed internally. _My friend? Okay, notify the Oxford dictionaries that the word 'friend' is now defined as a person who wants to hurt you just to see how far you, a mere child, can be pushed! _I yelled back. I suddenly aimed my hand at Magisterial. _And who are you for defending the person who wanted to kill me!?_ I asked a little offended. _I turned to you for help, and you ignored my pleas. What makes you better than that coward laying on the grass like a potato? You are all the same…  
_  
Magisterial voice became more urgent. _Everybody makes mistakes Gohan, even me. But ask yourself this; if you do kill all of us now, won't that make you exactly like us, the persons you despise at the moment?_ I was speechless for a bit; _NO! Stop with your mind games old man!_ I shot back. He sighed softly. _Then you leave me no choice, son…_

He extended his arm towards me and I suddenly lost the feeling of every muscle in my body. _What the... Stop it!_ I yelled as he lifted me into the sky. _Not until you listen to me!_ _Gohan, I know this isn't the real you. Please get control over yourself._

_"So?"_ I shot back in my mind. _People change…_

Random happy memories shot in front of my eyes; Dad and me fishing, our family trip to Disneyland where Dad punched Goofy in the face, Gomih and me sneaking food to our pet dragon Mom forbade us to keep… Faces of all my friends and family appeared in front of me and paused at their smiles.

He is right, I realised. It was as if I was a spectator in my own body; I saw it do the motions but I didn't instruct it in the first place to do so. Magisterial loosened his grip on my mind and I landed on the ground on both my feet.

I forced myself to get control over my arm again. I struggled against myself; I fought myself for control. I fell to my knees clutching my throbbing head. "It hurts!" I yelled at Magisterial.

"I know son, but you can do it. I believe in you!" He replied. I continued to fight myself for control.

This is my body. This is my life. This is me! I chanted over and over.

Relief washed over me when I felt how my body reverted back to my base form. I smiled weakly at Magisterial before fainting...

_Hey again! I hope you liked it!_

It is almost reunion time! So you better check every day for updates!

See ya! 


	15. Chapter 14: The Destroyer Of Worlds

_Hey you! Can't believe it has already been a week!_

Thank you to all the new subscribers and favourites and a giant bear-hug to: unwanted half Saiyan demon, Sirius potter 2, dp3of5, mks 12 98, Vienne, Rawr, ddddd and Jrik23 for reviewing.

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or any of its characters, but wait until I gather the dragonballz… Muhahaha.****

CHAPTER 14: The Destroyer of Worlds

I woke disoriented in an unfamiliar bed. I tried to jump out of the bed but fell to the floor instead. I was covered in bruises and my leg hurt. I levitated up using my ki, my leg must be broken. I flew slowly out of the room. Oh, this is Magisterial's house, I realised as I floated into the den I have seen once before. I opened the door and was surprised to see that it was dark outside. I searched for Magisterial's ki and located him, Draco and the others'.

I flew to their location, hoping that Magisterial would have one of those healing-potions of his. As I entered the kitchen, Magisterial and Gailo were in a conversation while Draco was sewing up the invisibility cloak that I tore.

Everybody looked up and gawked at me as I entered. Magisterial's eyes shot wide in worry as he noticed my appearance. "Sorry child," He started to apologise, "I wanted to give you the healing potion earlier but I couldn't get you to consume it when you slept."

I smiled weakly at him. "That's okay," I took the potion eagerly from him and gulped it down in one sip. My energy returned and I felt my bones and muscles turn back to normal.

I hesitantly moved closer and sat next to Draco. "Hey buddy," He said, acknowledging my presence. I nodded towards him, but my eyes never left Gailo, I still did not trust him. "So sir, do you mind filling in the blank spots, I can't remember everything of my fight with _him_."

He nodded in confirmation. "Why of course my dear boy, this is Gailo," He said pointing at my previous assaulter. I nodded, I knew who he was. "Well, I don't know if you remember this part but Gailo used the mind-crush technique on you earlier, but he seemed to push it too far. You snapped and released more of your hidden power. Congratulations Gohan, you have discovered another level on the Super Saiyan transformation." He explained and my eyes shot wide. "Genuine? How did it look like?"

"It was much stronger than your third transformation, obviously and you almost completely disintegrated my planet and Gailo here! Your had silver hair, with a similar style as in your second transformation and your eyes were crimson."

I smiled in awe. "Wow, I wish I could have remembered that!" I yelled excitedly.

"Indeed, we will work on it to make you maintain this new transformation next."

I let out an excited squeak. "Yay!"

"I heard great things about you." Gailo started, I completely forgot about him while Magisterial talked. "So I just had to see it for myself." He looked directly into my eyes. "I am very sorry that I pushed you too far. It really wasn't cool of me, to do what I did. I am really sorry; sometimes I do get a little carried away." He apologised sincerely. "I know you don't get a second chance to make a first impression, but I hope we can start over." He extended his hand for a shake. I smiled at him and shook his hand. "No hard feelings; just don't do it again."

He saluted me. "Yes sir."

Magisterial laughed. "I am glad you two buried the hatchet. I would have been very disappointed to see my best students not on speaking terms."

"Great, the awkward part is over!" Reynard exclaimed gleefully and sat next to me with his arm around my shoulder. Everybody soon neared our table, but didn't say anything; Reynard was doing all the talking. "You sure showed our boss here who really is boss!" Everyone, even Gailo, laughed at his joke.

"So, let me introduce you to _my_ team." He said and everyone huddled closer with warm smiles on their faces. "You have already met me, the liveliest one of the group." Reynard smiled brilliantly as he reintroduced himself.

I shook his hand. "Nice to meet you kind sir," He smiled and gave a little bow, "The pleasure is all mine."

"I am Magnar." A deep voice growled. I looked up to see the origin of the voice. A tall dark-skinned person stood in front of me. I gulped, he was intimidating! "My special power is shape shifting. I adjust to the situation around me to survive and thrive. For instance, if I am in water for a certain period of time, I will grow gills and be able to breathe under water." He explained.

"Nice!" I complemented.

"Hey! I am doing the introduction here Magbrain!" Reynard exclaimed and Magnar scowled at him. "If you ran as much as your mouth, you would have been in terrific shape!" He retorted and Reynard inhaled sharply at his statement. "I take offence to that! I am in perfect shape! I'll have you know I have lost ten pounds these last month."

Magnar shot him a look of disbelief. "Looks like your ass found it!"

Everyone laughed; but I just hovered there awkwardly. I wasn't entirely sure if they were just playing around or being serious. "Don't talk about my luscious buttocks like that! I can't help it is a few sizes bigger than normal. It runs in the family!"

Another girl giggled and joined in the teasing parade. "No offence Ray, but I have seen some pictures of your family… I don't think anyone runs in your family." Everyone laughed and I couldn't help joining in. That was a good one.

He stood up and pulled his sleeved up to his elbows. "You want to go!" He shouted playfully at Magnar.

"Guys get a room!" A warm voice rang from the door. "You are making Gohan here uncomfortable." A tall, peach-skinned woman entered and sat down next to Gailo. She had black hair with a blue shine to it and marvellous blue eyes matching the tint in her hair. She was very beautiful. This was what I imagined a goddess would look like.

Magnar and Reynard scoffed. "Watch out for this one bro; she knows everything." Reynard rolled his eyes.

"And she is always right." Magnar joined. "Even when she is wrong, she is right."

He shook his head sadly and sighed. "She also has good ears." She retorted and playfully punched the two boys.

She stood up and extended her hand towards me. I took it without hesitation and gave a firm shake. "Hey, I am Veronica, and Gailo is my boyfriend. We have been together for almost 300 years now." They smiled lovingly at each other. Barf!

"And the guys' here explanation wasn't _that_ farfetched. I have great intuition, partially because I can sense and manipulate emotions." She winked at me and I returned with a confused frown. She returned the gesture and explained. "It means that I can manipulate the emotions of others', like for example…"

She hesitated, thinking off an example. "Like when one of us is anxious in a battle I can use my power to make them feel calm and take their anxiousness away." I nodded understanding. "You for instance are feeling nervous right now. No need to be though, we don't bite…. Too hard."

I let out a nervous chuckle but I sudden calmness washed over me. She smiled at me warmly. "You're welcome."

"Yeah, Veronica and Gailo are the mom and dad figures of the group." A petite girl, looking about eighteen, contributed. "I am Kiana." She introduced herself. "I am a healer; very useful in battles. And I _am_ single by the way." She winked at me and curled a strand of her hair around her forefinger playfully. For some odd reason I blushed. She giggled and I looked at the next person in the row.

"Levi is my name and invisibility is my game!" A lean grey man with pitch-black hair and black eyes rhymed. He suddenly disappeared from vision after his statement. Reynard rolled his eyes and fazed to a spot near the fridge. He thrust his elbow at the air and I heard someone heave. "You might want to mask your ki too buddy..." Reynard joked and patted the now visible Levi sympathetically on the back. I snickered at the scene.

"Hey cutie," A soft finger smelling of vanilla under my chin lifted my face and my eyes connected with the most interesting grey eyes I have ever seen. Her eyes looked like the surface of earth's moon. "I am Luna and I have no specific powers. But don't be fooled, I am one of the strongest members in this group." She wasn't kidding; I felt a hidden depth in her ki, not as strong as Gailo's or mine, but very impressive. Her skin was caramel-coloured and her hair was just about a shade lighter than her skin tone. "I am, I mean was, a Princess; the Princess of the moon." Her voice travelled to a million galaxies away. "I was told that I was the most beautiful person in all the…"

"Luna!" Everyone, even Magisterial moaned simultaneously. They must be familiar with this story. She shot an annoyed glare at her comrades. "Gohan has never heard it before." She stated and was about to continue her tale when a tall, not very muscular young man put his hands around her mouth and dragged her away from me.

"You don't need to soil his innocent ears with your babbling." He said as he dragged her outside. She put up a decent fight; she struggled in his grip, but he didn't budge. She finally bit him on his hands which made him let go of her.

"Fine!" She yelled agitatedly at the group. "I won't bore you guys with it again, but remember we are all dead." She waved her hand, pointing at all of us. "And eternity is a long time…" Her gaze returned to me and she winked. I sighed internally. I don't even want to know.

The tall, lean teenager, the one who dragged Luna away, pointed to himself. "Felix, and I can control gravity." As soon as he was done speaking I felt heavier; he increased the gravity. "Felix…" Everyone retorted annoyed at the same time. He chuckled and turned it back to normal. "Sheesh guys, I just wanted to show the kid something cool."

"I am Ash." A short chubby little dwarf-like man with pointy ears and a goatee said. "I have the ability to stop time."

I smiled at him in awe. "Awesome!" I exclaimed.

"He forgot to tell you the most crucial part;" Gailo chirped in. "He is only able to sustain the ability while hopping on one leg; and between you and me, balance is not in his vocabulary." I chuckled at Gailo's tone. The little dwarf's green face turned bright red as he blushed. "At least I can pee without hearing classical music!" He shot back and Gailo's face held embarrassment. "Okay, moving on…" He changed the subject.

"That is Farrah; she can only communicate through minds." He introduced a dark-skinned girl with chocolate brown curly shoulder-length hair. _Hey..._ A soft voice rang through my mind. I smiled at her.

"I am Arzath." A middle-aged man said in a monotone. I can control the four elements." Someone scoffed. I wasn't surprised to see that it was Reynard. "Just not the element of surprise…" His voice trailed off and Arzath scowled at him. He didn't look like someone to mess with.

"And last but not least, this is Willow and Steve." Reynard pointed to a light blue girl with short, spiky purple hair. "She is also a healer, but very shy." He whispered in my ear. "Nice to meet you Willow." I stated politely and she smiled wearily at me.

Someone cleared his throat. "Oh, forgot about you Steve." Reynard pointed to a muscular man with light green hair and an intoxicating smile. "He is the nerd of the group. He handles all our technical affairs, but don't be fooled. He can give a hell of a beating." His voice trailed off and he rubbed his butt absentmindedly. I nodded to all of them. "Nice to meet all of you," They smiled at me in return.

"So sir, why did you ask to see us?" Gailo asked when Magisterial when the introductions was complete.

He sighed deeply. "I am afraid I have some bad news…" His voice trailed off.

We all stared at him in suspense. "Raphael is on the loose again, he has been creating havoc in the western quadrant." One of the girls shrieked, I think it was Luna. "But that is where I am from! He better not be hurting my people!"

Magisterial didn't answer her. "My resources claim that he is building an army, an army much more powerful than mine. He wants to wipe us out." Nobody seemed too surprised.

"We all knew this day would come…" Gailo said. "We will leave first thing tomorrow morning; we should get supplies and rest up before taking him on."

"Yes; I want half of you to go directly after Raphael, and I want the other half to go after the rest of his army located on his planet. I would suggest that you strategise wisely Gailo; the strongest opponents are with Raphael, only his backups are on his planet."

Gailo nodded. "I think, if everybody else is cool with it, we will send Levi, Ash, Steve, Willow, Farrah, Arzath and Felix off to Raphael's planet and I, Veronica, Kiana, Magnar, Luna and Reynard will go to Raphael.

"Yes!" Reynard whispered under his breath at the mention of his name.

"Very well, sounds good." Magisterial approved. Everyone nodded at his strategy.

"I am coming with you guys." I declared determined.

"There is no way I am sending you anywhere near that monster Gohan." Magisterial immediately rained on my parade.

My mouth fell open in disbelief. "But you are sending _them_?" I pointed to the others.

"Of course; they are fully-trained fighters who can handle themselves. You are in the least not done with your training."

I gave him the puppy-dog face. "Please sir; they could really use my strength. And the group heading for Raphael has one person short!" I pleaded.

"I am not saying that it won't make it easier for them if you went son, but you are still _too_ raw. Raphael will eat you up." He turned around and started to walk away.

"But…" I tried pleading my case once again.

"This discussion in over!" He yelled over to me and slammed the door shut as he left. My shoulders slouched in defeat. Gailo put a hand on my shoulder. "Let this one go buddy; don't worry about us, we are perfectly capable to take care of ourselves." I nodded at him, but I still didn't want to let this go.

That night I tossed and turned under my covers; unable to sleep, so I decided to get some fresh air. I walked to the hill near my cabin to look at the stars; it had the most beautiful view on the planet.

I was surprised to see Reynard there; he was throwing small stones into the pond.

"Can't sleep either?" He asked me as I sat down next to him.

"Nah…" He smiled at me and continued making the pebbles ski on the water.

"You know, I don't like fighting. I hate it actually." He said out of the blue.

"But you are member of the alley of protectors. How did you get here when you don't like fighting?"

He smiled grimly. "I am a lot like you Gohan; my father forced me to fight. He was a space-pirate you see, and he wanted to make me carry on with his legacy after he died, but I hated every second of it, and he knew it, but he still didn't stop. I like martial arts, but only as a hobby. I don't like using it to kill other innocent people."

"How did you end up here?" I asked. "If it isn't too personal." I interjected when he didn't speak.

"After I tried escaping my dad's tyrannous grasp, he sent me to planet Armageddon, where the lead fighting school, Zeus Academy, is located." He started explaining. "Fighters all around the universe get moulded into elite warriors at that camp; that is where most planets send their armies to, for defence training. But he didn't have defence on his mind; he wanted to mould me into a killing machine." His voice turned sorrow. I died three years later in the parking garage of that camp. I have just finished my training, but I still didn't have the heart to be a part of my dad's evil legacy. He killed me the day he came to pick me up from that horrid place. I rebelled against him and was stupid enough to tell him that I didn't want to be any part in his twisted evil life. I thought I was home-free when he asked '_Are you sure this is what you want?"_ But when I nodded in confirmation, he killed me in cold blood; his own offspring. Who does that to his own child?" He shook his head in despair.

"That was when I was recruited by Magisterial, I agreed to his offer immediatly because I wanted to spare the other inhabitants in the galaxy from bastards like my father." He punched the ground and dust spiralled around his clenched fist.

I put a hand on his shoulder. "Gosh, that's terrible!" I exclaimed.

He shrugged; "Life is cruel my friend." He stated grimly and looked up at me. "And you, what is your story?" He asked.

"It is still being written." I replied.

He smiled. "Whatever smartass, I mean what led to you to being _here_."

I knew what he meant; I just don't like talking about my past. "Aren't you hungry?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

He let out a deep breath. "Hard subject?" He asked in a sympathetic voice.

"Yeah…" I sighed, but I kind of felt obligated to share my story with him after his heartfelt confession.

I sighed before I started telling. "A scientist created androids to kill my father. The strongest man alive… He wanted revenge because my dad brought down his entire army as a kid."

Reynard chuckled. "Like father like son." He commented.

"Well, they were horribly strong, and this one android looked like a grasshopper thing, absorbed the other two to reach his perfect form. When that was reached he childishly hosted the 'Cell Games' where I fought in, indirectly killed my dad and one of my closest friends and died by sacrificing my life for the ones I love."

Reynard whistled. "Damn brother; and I thought had it bad."

I laughed at his statement. "Well at least I sort of retaliated." He looked at me confused and I continued. "A few months back he was raising havoc in HFIL, and I was sent to stop him. It felt good."

He chuckled. "I bet!"

"So where are you guys going?" I asked, trying to fish for more information.

"You were there; we are going after Raphael before he can recruit too much more warriors." He said.

I shook my head. "Yeah I know that, but like on what planet?"

He smiled and shook his head, realising what my true intensions were. "No way am I telling you little man." He tussled my hair. "I know you would come after us; and we don't need your help."

I frowned. "But you just said that you don't like fighting."

He nodded, "Yeah, but there is a huge difference between fighting to kill innocent people and fighting to kill evil villains to save innocent people. I actually enjoy killing villains; it gives me a strange, yet warm feeling."

I scoffed. "You are such a hypocrite."

He smiled and made gangster gestures with his hands. "Recognise."

"Hey, you want to see something awesome?" He asked out of the blue. I nodded hesitantly. "Sure, but I am not going to close my eyes and let you punch me." I said directly; "I know every trick in the book, I have a sister I'll let you know."

He chuckled, "No silly, give me your hands." I extended my arms slowly in his direction and he took them quickly. "You want to see how your life would have turned out if you didn't die?"

I frowned at him suspiciously. "For real?" I asked.

He nodded with a smile on his lips. "I can read the future."

"Then why were you surprised when Magisterial told about Raphael?" I questioned. "You should have seen it coming."

He chuckled. "It doesn't work like that; I must have actual physical contact with someone and concentrate for a few minutes for it to work. I don't think good old Ralphy will let me touch him for a few minutes to see what his future schemes are."

I nodded. "Probably not…"

"Now you will have to close your eyes." He instructed and I closed my eyes; I was intrigued by the idea of seeing how I would look as an older guy. I felt a weird ki emit from his body next to me and a few minutes later a flurry of images flashed before me. Some I could clearly recognise as myself, just a lot taller and with a shorter haircut. An image of a cute girl with clear blue eyes and long black hair also appeared in many images with me and Gomih.

_"I am the Great Saiyaman!"_ A creepy dude wearing a construction helmet with antennas sticking up at the top and clothed in a ridicules leotard with a little green dress and matching belt hanging loosely over that dread. _No…._ I gasped that can't be me.

I immediately let go of his grasp and sat on the grass with my mouth agape. Reynard's laughs brought me back to reality. "That was you!" He rolled on the grass laughing his butt off. "Be glad you are dead bro; I would rather be dead than be that guy!"

"Your power must be flawed. I would have never let myself go that bad, would I?" I questioned.

"Nah my friend, your life would have been flawed. Be glad you can be a badass up here." He was still laughing. I stood up and came to a standstill behind his rolling body. He didn't notice that I moved. I flung my right foot to his side lightly and he rolled off the cliff and came splashing in the water.

I was the one laughing now. I pointed at his silly expression and bawled.

"Oh I am going to get you for this!" He retorted evilly and I gave him a look of disbelief instead. "Oh yeah?" I challenged.

"You know that you are in the presence of one of the strongest protectors in the universe?" He asked rhetorically.

"I didn't realise _that_, being that you just got pawned by an eleven-year-old. Should I curtsy your Highness?"

He snickered. "You really are a piece of work, you know that?"

I was suddenly hit with a mass of water and I felt a fish travelling down my pants. I did a little weird dance at the panicked feeling of the tickle by the fish. I don't want to know how it looked on the outside, but judging by the velocity of Reynard's laughs, pretty darn hilarious.

I released some of my ki to get rid of the fish and to dry myself off. He looked wide-eyed and open-mouthed at me. "You just killed that poor fish in cold blood!" He exclaimed and I laughed at his dramatic tone. "I couldn't have killed him in warm blood; he is a fish by the way." He laughed at my witty joke.

"What is going on out here?" Gailo's voice thundered from the sky near us.

Reynard's continued laughing. "A viscous fish attacked Gohan and we had to kill it to save ourselves." He added some fake whimpers to his statement.

"You know we have a big day ahead of us tomorrow, I would suggest that you get some rest now." Gailo said in a serious tone.

Reynard got dispirited out of the water. "You are such a buzz kill sometimes." He stated and Gailo nodded. "I wouldn't have a problem with this any other day, but tomorrow we are fighting Raphael of all people. We have to be sharp."

Reynard sighed. "Fine, see you tomorrow Gohan." He gave me a little wave before teleporting back to his sleeping quarters.

I decided to turn in too, being bored after Reynard left.

When I lay snugly in my bed I started to plot a plan to sneak away from this planet and off to the war as I drifted into a comfortable sleep.

The next morning I gathered with everybody before they departed.

I shook Gailo's hand. "Kick some butt for my part too."

He smiled and nodded. "You can bet that I will."

They teleported to their unknown location; I tried to keep tabs on their ki's but for some reason the connection was lost. Magisterial probably had something to do with this.

"Are we going to do anything specific today sir?" I asked hoping he would say 'no.'

"No…"

YES!

"I am going to the realm of the Kai's to discuss the current situation we have with Raphael."

I nodded absentmindedly. "Great, so does that mean that I can carry on with anything else then?" I tried.

He chuckled, "No so fast son; just because I am not here doesn't mean that you can relax and do nothing. You shall continue with your training. Practise the techniques I taught you a few days ago."

I sighed internally but managed to give a fake smile and nod at his request. He smiled back at me. "Good, I will be off soon. Ready for breakfast?" He asked and started towards the kitchen.

I shook my head. "No thank you sir, I will eat later. I am going to get a head start on my training." I spun around and rushed off, before he could get suspicious. I saw his mouth fall open.

"Gohan denied food…" He said to himself in disbelief.

I rushed to the thickly vegetated forest near my cabin and lowered my ki to almost untraceable. I stayed like this for ten minutes; so it would appear to Magisterial that I was training the ki-control technique.

I imagined a picture of Kibito in front of my mind and concentrated on it harshly. I focussed on his image and traded it with mine. I opened my eyes and stared at my now red hand. Yes! It worked; I look like Kibito. I widened my search-parameters and located his ki. I found it easily from remembering where the planet of the Kai's was located. I focussed on his ki and made it my own. I was Kibito.

I teleported back to the kitchen and made my ki clear. Would Kibito knock? I pondered in my thoughts. I decided to wing it. He looked like a rude creature so he would probably not knock. But just before I could burst through the door, Magisterial called. "Hey Kibito, come on in."

I entered and saw Magisterial wipe his mouth with a napkin. "So what can I do for you old friend?" He asked warmly and gestured his hand for me to sit.

"I prefer to stand." I grumbled.

Magisterial chuckled. "Still the same; you never change." Wow, Kibito is super predictable. I might actually achieve my plan!

"Supreme Kai and I sensed that you gathered your troops yesterday. We just wondered why you gathered them without consulting it with us first." I smiled internally. Nailed it!

Magisterial got a bewildered look in his eyes. "Oh goodness yes, I was actually on my way to tell you. Just give me a second to change, and then we can leave to your realm so I can explain everything."

Crap! "No!" I blurted out. He frowned at me puzzled.

Crap, crap, crap! "I mean you can just tell me everything; I will pass it on to my master." Phew, nice save!

"Goodness no; I prefer to talk face to face, I never send messengers." He scrutinized me. "You know that better than anyone."

"I apologise sir, I am not myself today."

He nodded in thought. "Clearly. Now will you please give me ten minutes to get ready?"

I nodded. "Certainly."

When he was out of sight I started pacing back and forth. I let out a deep sigh. _What now?_ I didn't expect it to go this far. I hate it when other people don't follow the script I created in my head…

_Light bulb!_

I got it. I teleported to the sacred realm of the Kai's and lowered my ki. Supreme Kai was in front of me when I arrived. Crap!

"Kibito?" He questioned.

My body froze and I stared at him; at a complete loss of what to do. "You said that you were going to the bathroom." He looked at his watch. "Only a minute has passed; how could you be so quick? We had that bad Mexican food yesterday!"

My eyes widened. "I know; I just tried to see if I could walk it off."

Please buy this! "Oh, but why can I sense your ki at the bathroom too?"

I sighed internally. There is no way I am getting out of this tangle alive. I remembered what Dad always told me: _when in doubt, confuse the crap out of them!_

I looked confusedly at him. "What do you mean? I can't feel it."

He frowned. "You sure? It is as clear as day."

I nodded slowly. He shook his head. "After almost 5000 years I am busy becoming bonkers!"

I smiled wearily at him. "No if you would excuse me?"

He blushed. "Sure, go do your business!"

I smiled thankfully at him and rushed towards the real Kibito's ki. I waited for him outside the ablutions; I did not want to go in there! Thankfully he didn't take too long. When he exited I was already ready and attacked him.

_Oh I am going to be in so much trouble if this fails_.

He fell to the ground on his back with me on top of his stomach. "What the?" He started but I clasped his mouth shut with my hand. _Note to self: Scrub hand with sanitizer when back at home._ His eyes were bewildered. He tried to break loose from my grip, but I was too strong for him.

I formed ki rings with my one free hand and placed it around his wrists and ankles. I got a bandanna out of my pocket and bind it tightly around his mouth. He still squirmed and squeaked.

"Sorry buddy, but you are forcing me to do this." I raised my arm next to his neck and hit him with enough force to render him unconscious. I teleported back to Magisterial's and waited another five minutes for him to finish. He met up with me again.

"Shall we go?" I nodded and we both teleported to the realm of the Kai's. We appeared in front of Supreme Kai.

"Kibito?" He asked again unsure.

I nodded. "I went to get Magisterial Kai so he could explain to us what was going on." I let out a grunt and resumed my position next to Supreme Kai. I turned to Magisterial. "Where did you send them to?" I asked.

His head bowed solemnly and he let out a deep sigh. "I send them after my mistake." Ugh, such a vague answer. Supreme Kai put his hand on Magisterial's shoulder sympathetically.

"After Raphael?" He questioned with compassion.

Magisterial nodded.

"Are they ready?" He asked concerned and Magisterial nodded again. "They can take him."

"Then there is nothing to feel bad about old friend. They are warriors; this is what they live to do." Supreme Kai tried to comfort his friend. Magisterial smiled genuinely; it seemed like he felt better about himself. Great, time to move in for the kill…

"So where is this fight occurring?" Supreme Kai asked just before I formed the words. Thank you Supreme Kai for asking the million dollar question.

"They are on Creznox." He stated.

Supreme Kai's eyes widened. "The lava planet but that's…" He stopped mid-sentence and both their glares fell to me.

"What?" I asked uncomfortably and then I noticed it. Oh boy, my voice is back. I frantically looked at my hands and realised I was back. I was Gohan again.

I smiled awkwardly at them, not knowing how to salvage the situation. "Gohan what are you doing here?"

I didn't answer his question; instead I extended my arms in front of me and made some gestures with my hands. I formed a ki-box around the two supreme masters.

"Sorry!" I exclaimed at the two dazed Kai's in the box. "I didn't want it to go this far!"

They pounded against the box. The box's strength was directly linked to my ki. I powered up to SS3 and the box flared too. The two of them fell flat on their bums in the box.

"Gohan let us out of this box this instant!" The furious Magisterial yelled.

"Sorry…" I apologised and teleported back to Magisterial's planet. I rushed to my cabin and frantically threw the book about planets open in front of me.

"Where is it?" I questioned out loud as my fingers ran through the index.

"Ah!" I turned to page 1024 with haste and found what I was looking for; the coordinates of planet Creznox.

I concentrated and teleported to the war-zone. I was surprised to be standing in the middle of a gorgeous valley. "Is this the right planet?" I questioned aloud, remembering Supreme Kai saying something about this being the lava planet.

My question was answered by a raging ball of fire being scattered toward me. My eyes widened and I jumped quickly to the side; barely dodging it, but hundreds of others' was heading toward me now. I let out a cry as one of the balls scraped my side as I retreated into the sky.

I heaved in the sky between the fluffy pink clouds while I ran my hand through the wound. There was a giant hole in my side and blood was gushing out of it. I tore a piece of my sleeve off and covered the wound. I flinched as the fabric touched my raw flesh.

How was that possible? I am in my third transformation. Such an attack should have bounced off my body, not through it! I stared down at the landscape but didn't see any action. I flew in the direction the flurry of fireballs were coming from and soon saw some people I have never met before.

They saw my approach. I sighed. Real smart Gohan; don't lower your ki. One of them sat in a throne-like hover chair. That must probably be Raphael…

Speaking off… He flashed to my side and grabbed me by the collar. He was wearing a hooded cape so I couldn't see his appearance; but I did however see bright orange eyes glowing furiously at me. He ran one of his bony fingers down my jaw; he increased the pressure and cut me with his long nails under my chin. I felt blood trickling down my throat and drip down to my clothes.

"Another one…" He breathed when he caught a glimpse of the symbol on my gi. My hands clutched around his very muscular arm, but his grip didn't lessen.

"And who might you be?" He asked coolly and let go of me.

I trotted backward at the sudden force of gravity but quickly regained my composure. "Wouldn't you like to know…?" I retorted annoyed; "I just ironed this gi and now it's all wrinkled up again." I exclaimed irritated and brushed the wrinkles straight again.

He stared at me in stunned disbelief before slapping me across the face; my head turned 45 degrees to the right by his blow. I ripped my head back to its normal position and it made a clicking sound.

"That was uncalled for." I said emotionless.

His eyes widened. "Do you know who you are talking to?" He asked; his voice quivered in anger.

I shrugged. "Of course I do, the idiot in front of me; who I suspect is the terrible Raphael." I said dramatically while making silly hand gestures.

His mouth fell open a bit. "And even after all you have heard about me, you are still arrogant and not pissing your pants in fear?"

I shrugged. "You don't seem that tough, and I used the bathroom before coming here." I joked.

"Do you have a death wish boy?" He asked threatingly.

I smiled widely and pointed to my halo. "Haven't you heard; I am already dead."

That did it. Raphael cracked and punched me over and over again. I tried to block the punches but only managed to block a few, due to my massive injury bringing me down. I dove under his fists and kicked him in the back. He stuttered forward but recovered quickly and rushed towards me, but I was ready with a blast charged in my palm. I threw it in his face and he let out an agonised cry while clutching his face.

"I just had my eyebrows done!" He yelled at me when he took his hands away from his face. His head was exposed now. He had light brown hair, medium in length and the most interesting eyes. They were a magnificent blue with an orange ring around the edge of the pupil and iris. His face held many scars too. A particular disturbing one was located in the upper right corner of his left eye. It curved like a banana to his mouth. It looks like someone tried to cut his face off!

He glared at me; he. Was. Livid. I gulped as his eyes met mine.

"You have guts kid, and I am about to show them to you!" He yelled.

Huh? What did he mean by that? A sudden pain in my side paralyzed me. The pain was so intense that I could not scream. I could barely breathe. I looked down at the origin of the pain and saw Raphael's hand embedded into my open wound.

"Not so tough now, are we?" He taunted in my ear.

I took a deep shaky breath and swallowed the excruciating pain. I wrapped my hand around his arm and tugged on it; desperate to get it out of my system, literally! Using the pain to fuel my fist I managed to get him away from me.

I floated back a bit while panting like a dog with my hand firmly on my wound. He stared at me with surprise. "I must say you are something else! If you just get rid of that blabbering mouth you would be perfect…" His voice trailed off; as if he were deep in thought.

"Well, I don't usually do this; quite frankly I have never done this before, ever! But I am going to give you a courtesy." I stared at him; fighting consciousness. "You are free to go, and I will point you in the direction of your mates." He winked at me. "But you must promise to come back right after the healer has healed you. I am curious to experience your strength first hand. I have a feeling that you might actually give me a challenge; unlike those other baboons of protectors."

I barely registered his words. I reverted back to my base form, unable to hold my third transformation any longer.

He laughed. "Of course you have transformations. Now let me give you a hand."

He came closer and stood behind me. He put both his cold hands on my shoulders and shifted me slightly in a western direction. "Perfect…" He breathed and kicked me in the back. I barely registered being dragged through the air with a magnificent speed. But I focussed again at the mention of my name.

"Gohan!" I heard a frantic familiar voice call, and gently catch me before I could hit the ground. "It is going to be all right buddy…" He chanted soothingly, I recognised it as Reynard's voice. "Kiana, get your petite ass over here! He needs help!"

Soft small hands rested on my chest and I felt better momentarily. My eyes shot open and the kind purple eyes of Kiana greeted me. My hands ran to my side where the wound was located; it was gone.

"Gosh, thank you Kiana!" I hugged her out of gratefulness and she blushed.

"What about me?!" Reynard's voice rang. "I caught _and_ carried you to safety!" I hugged him too.

"Thanks bro!" I exclaimed.

He pushed me away. "Hey I am not gay dude!" He smiled deviously at me. "But I would totally go gay for you." He chirped and batted his eyelashes at me. I laughed and playfully punched him.

"I hope I am not interrupting, but we have a little situation!" Gailo said urgently and pointed at our other comrades fighting Raphael's allies.

"I am on it!" I yelled as I transformed directly into my super Saiyan 3 state. I sped to Magnar, who was currently fighting off four warriors at once. I landed next to him and formed a shield around us.

"Thanks bro, but that won't keep them at bay forever; they are bloodthirsty!" He breathed exhausted.

I smiled arrogantly. "No problem." I sent more ki out into the shield making some energy radiate out of it and hitting the warriors. I raised it more intensely and I flinched as their ear-splitting cries filled the air as their bodies disintegrated under my ki.

Reynard patted me on the back. "Narly man! I am so glad the big boss let you come!"

I let out a nervous chuckle. "Yeah, me too!"

Thank goodness we were interrupted by another ghoul trying to attack, before he could ask any more questions.

"I got this one. Go to the others." He ordered.

I nodded and went in full combat mode on the poor butts of the other villains. None of them were particularly strong. I didn't struggle to defeat anyone of them. In total I killed eleven warriors.

When every villain was finished off, Gailo called us together and we walked towards Raphael together in a flawless battle formation. Gailo was at the front flanked by Veronica and Magnar. Me of course, being the newest member, was rendered at the back.

We halted when we were about 50 meters from Raphael. He stood on a cliff, crossed-armed, facing us. The only three of his allies that was left stood behind him.

"So you think that you pathetic wimps can defeat me?" He asked rhetorically but Gailo answered anyway.

"Together we can beat you." He stated simply.

Raphael scoffed. "Yeah, like I am going to let that happen." He gracefully jumped off the cliff, with his arms still crossed in front of his chest. He walked with even steps to us, and in a flash his was standing in front of me. Everybody eyed him suspiciously, especially Gailo, he looked like he was ready to pounce if Raphael made a wrong move. Raphael kneeled to get to my level; he started me straight in the eyes now.

"You have made me very upset." He said slowly. "I asked you very nicely to return to me when you were healed, but what did you do?" He asked. I returned his gaze; he didn't frighten me.

"I danced with some of your allies. But unfortunately they didn't dance as well as me…"

He frowned at me in anger. "Do you think you are funny?" He yelled.

"NO! I KNOW I AM DAMN HILARIOUS!" I yelled in his ear.

He flinched and threw his hands instinctively over his ears to shield them from the loud volume. The other protectors stared at me in disbelief with open mouths. Their expressions read: _Are you friggin crazy?!  
_  
He got dangerously close to me. "You haven't seen the last of me!" He yelled and walked away.

"My name is Gohan by the way; for future reference!" I yelled after him. He shot me a last livid glare and fazed away with his other three warriors shortly on his tail.

As soon as he was gone everybody broke the formation and drummed around me. Reynard slapped me on the back of my head. "Are you retarded? You know he could have wiped you out of existence with one finger?" Everyone nodded simultaneously with dazzled expressions.

I smiled at them confidently. "But he didn't." I stated happily.

Gailo spoke up. "Well, I am probably speaking for all us. We are so glad you came. We would have survived without you, but you just made our jobs so much easier, and, who knows how, chased Raphael the Destroyer away!" He started to applaud and everyone soon followed.

My cheeks shone a light pink at the attention. "Shucks guys, it was nothing really." Luna came in front of me and pinched my cheeks. "Awww, the cutie-pie is so adorable! Pink is totally your colour!" Everyone laughed at that, but that just made me blush darker.

"So Gohan, I am curious, how did you convince Magisterial to send you here?" Reynard asked out of the blue. My eyes widened. "Uhhh…. Well…" I stuttered. There's no other choice; I have to be honest with them. "He didn't actually send me. I tricked him, Supreme Kai and Kibito and they are currently locked in a ki-box I created…"

Everybody gasped with wide eyes. "Seriously?!

I nodded. "Yup, I know I am in deep dudu…"

Magnar scoffed. "That is an understatement my dear friend; but don't worry," He put an arm around my shoulder. "We will be there to plead your case."

My ears went blank; all I could register was a strong ki heading towards us again; it is Raphael. Everything went in slow-motion; I saw a beam heading straight to the unsuspecting Reynard. I flashed to his side and shoved him violently out of the way. He landed on the ground with a thud; dust settled under his body as he landed.

I spun around and faced the direction I felt Raphael. I heard a soft voice catching her breath and I turned back; just like everyone else. My eyes widened in horror as my gaze settled on the twitching body of Willow. There was a giant hole in her stomach. My empty stomach turned on the terrible sight. Gailo was next to her in an instant, placing her head softly on his lap.

"I had to leave with a big bang." My head turned to Raphael in disbelief. "Well, this is your fault by the way Gohan." He winked at me before disappearing again. "Don't wrestle with your conscience too much."

I ignored him and kneeled next to Gailo. "Is she going to be all right?" I asked hopefully.

"Yes, thank goodness it is only a flesh wound." Everyone sighed relieved sighs at his words. "You are going to be alright Kiana." He whispered in her ear. He pushed some of his ki to Kiana and her wound slowly vanished.

She threw his arms around Gailo. "Thank you so much!" She exclaimed and her voice cracked. "I almost thought I was a gonner."

Gailo smiled and returned the hug. "You know that we would never let anything bad happen to you."

I went to sit on a rock a short distance from the scene. I cradled my face in my hands when a feeling of guilt rushed through my body. Veronica walked closer and sat next to me on the rock. "Gohan, being a protector isn't easy. You _will_ experience death and struggles in the future. You just have to accept that, or you will never be able to be a protector. I think that is why Magisterial didn't want to send you out here so soon."

I nodded, agreeing with her.

"Now let's get back, so I can die…" I retorted and she laughed. She put her arms around my shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Let's get back to the others." She encouraged and helped me up.

We teleported back to the realm of the Kai's; only Veronica, Reynard and Gailo accompanied me. The others went back to Magisterial's realm to meet up with the others who were at Raphael's planet.

When we arrived we saw an exhausted Kibito banging on my ki-box. Sigh. I was really hoping he would still be unconscious. He turned towards me, probably sensing my presence. I waved awkwardly at him and he charged me like an enraged bull that saw something red.

His hands circled around my narrow neck and my eyes widened when he didn't loosen his grip. Gailo intervened and pried Kibito's fingers one by one off my neck.

"Calm down big guy." Veronica chanted and got a peculiar look in her eyes. "Your mind games don't work on me." He growled.

I slipped past Kibito as my three comrades distracted him. I came to a stand-still in front of the box I had created. Magisterial and Supreme Kai held livid expressions on their faces.

I smiled at them, hoping to lessen the tension, but their angry expressions were grinded into their faces. I placed my right hand on the peach-coloured see-through box and retracted all that ki into my hand. They both stood with their arms crossed across their chests and were wearing deep frowns.

"I am very disappointed in you Gohan." Magisterial stated the inevitable.

I bowed my head in shame. "I understand sir. It was very disrespectful of me to do this to you and Supreme Kai." He nodded, agreeing with my statement.

"Yes it was, and I am glad you were honest enough to admit it, but I am honestly contemplating if I should continue keeping you as my student or kick you out to Otherworld…"

My eyes widened in shock. "No sir…"

He said it loud enough for the others to hear. Gailo was immediately on offence. "Sir with all due respect, if you do that, you will be an idiot. Without Gohan there today, we would have been pawned!" He pleaded my case.

"I understand that you are upset sir, but you knew Gohan could handle it; you knew that we would have ensured that no harm falls on him, but still you didn't send him. That makes you the real perpetrator here…" Veronica defended.

Magisterial's face held no emotion as my new comrades spoke for me.

"I must say, I have gained a lot of respect for you Gohan. You must be the first person to successfully trick a supreme master, ever." Supreme Kai chipped in.

Magisterial finally spoke up. "I will never dream to send you away son…" He started. "You were after all doing it for unselfish reasons."

I smiled brilliantly. "Thank you sir!"

"I am not finished… Don't think that you are off the hook; you will be punished accordingly. You will clean the entire Otherworld including King Yemma's restrooms…"

I cringed, I have been in there _once_… It wasn't pretty.

"…For six months while wearing different suits and costumes with a 'kick-me' sign glued on your back… And in those six months your training will be on pause." He continued.

I shook his hand. "Deal!" I said sadly.

Not like I had a choice…

****

Well this is embarrassing. I thought as I squinted down on King Yemma's toilet bowl to clean the inside. The smell was nauseating; I wish I were wearing a radio-active protective suit instead of an… Well, I am not going to go there…

After what seemed like days I was finished. The whole stall smelled like detergent now, but I will take this heavenly scent any day over King Yemma's odour.

What does the man eat?!

I wiped some stray sweat off my forehead and picked up my bucket and other cleaning supplies and went outside. I was pushed aside abruptly by someone storming in, pinning me to the wall.

I shook my head; trying to shake of the bump. My eyes widened in horror as I got a glimpse of the person who entered the stall.

"No…" I breathed.

I spun around and tried to make it through the door before the nasty could occur, but I was not fast enough…

The nastiest smell engulfed my nose and I fell down, face first, at the intensity of it.

A thunder-like boom emitted from the stall and a tornado-strong stinky wind blew me against the wall. I tried to get up on my legs again but I couldn't…

I forced my legs to move and I rushed out of the bathroom as fast as my two weak limbs have ever carried me. I closed my eyes as I ran; they burned! I opened them after a few seconds and leaned against King Yemma's desk, gasping for air like a fish that has been out of water for an hour.

"Hey kid, are you alright?" One of King Yemma's workers came closer. I nodded. "Yup, I was just running away from nature calling somebody, I didn't want to eavesdrop on their conversation." I said and a shiver of disgust stormed through me body. He shot me a confused gaze and walked off again, muttering "kids these days" as he left.

I waited a few moments outside, relishing in the freshness of the air, until King Yemma returned to his station. "Phew, remind me never to eat burritos again!" He breathed when he sat down on his oversized chair at his oversized desk.

I sighed and turned around, heading to the bathroom again, but King Yemma stopped me. "Hey cleaning lady!" He yelled, at me. Why did Draco have to suggest the French Maid outfit to Magisterial!?

I turned around slowly with my head down; I didn't want him to see my face.

"Yes sir?" I squeaked out in the most girly voice I could muster. Thank goodness I haven't reached puberty yet!

"You have to clean out my stall; it took quite a beating this time…" He said; a little embarrassed.

I hurled internally. Great, if _he_ thinks it is bad, it _must_ be bad! I nodded slowly.

"Don't be shy little lass," He said as he noticed that I haven't looked him in the eyes yet.

"Here, take this Customised King Yemma Mug Holder for all your trouble."

My eyes widened. No… He must not see who I am!

"I appreciate it sir but I don't drink out of mugs." I stated, trying to avoid contact.

"Nonsense," He retorted. "When a lord hands a lady a gift, she is obligated to accept."

I sighed deeply; there is no way around this.

"Good, then I don't have to take it, because I am not a girl!" I snapped and raised my head abruptly towards him. My little cap flew of my head by a sudden breeze and my hair shot out angrily.

"I know that hair…" King Yemma exclaimed.

_Great…_

He gasped. "You aren't a maid; you are Gohan, that Saiyan warrior who took care of all the losers in HFIL so quickly."

I gave a little curtsy. "In the flesh!" I exclaimed and he started laughing.

Everyone stared at the always serious King Yemma laughing so violently. He pointed one of his huge fingers at me and I blushed as everybody's eyes scrutinized my appearance before bursting into laughter themselves.

I pouted as everybody pointed at me like I was some deranged zoo-animal. I floated up in the sky so everyone would be able to see me.

"Hey!" I yelled.

Nobody noticed me; they were still stuck in fits of laughter. Okay, let's turn up the volume.

"LISTEN UP INFIDELS!" I yelled louder. Everybody stopped laughing and stared at me expectantly. "I am not an exhibit; so why don't you return to your mundane activities and let me complete my punishment in peace?" I asked civilized.

It was silent for a few moments before an unidentified dead alien spoke up. "Hey everybody, he's wearing mascara!" Those words made everyone laugh again. Dammit Draco! I am going to kill that pesky little dragon when I get back, as soon as I take my high heels off!

I floated back down and pushed through the crowd as I trotted back to the bathroom.

"Gohan?" I heard someone exclaim shocked.

"Yes?" I asked dispirited and turned around to look into familiar red eyes. Of course…

"Hey Pikkon; how's training going with Grand Kai?" I asked, hoping that he would not point out my appearance. His eyes never left my figure and he didn't blink.

"Uh very good; Grand Kai is very serious about training…"

I knew he was above that of the other idiots mocking me. "I'm sorry but I can't…" He breathed. "When did you get a sex-change operation?" He held back the laughs.

"Yesterday; aren't I a pretty girl?" I spat out sarcastically. He couldn't tame his laughter anymore; it burst to the surface like an angry tsunami.

"Let me put it this way; I would not date you!" He exclaimed through the laughs.

I rolled my eyes. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder…" I retorted in a girly voice and walked away. My heels clicked on the tiles as I walked, and I could hear Pikkon's laughs grow more intense.

When I finally reached the stalls again I was out of breath. I had to say, I had a newfound respect for women. I never knew wearing heals would be so agonisingly painful. And they do like everything in these things!

I loosened my shoulders while standing a few metres from the stalls; as if I were preparing myself for a war. I could swear that I could smell the rotting smell coming from the bathroom. Everybody walked around the area, not daring to move near the stalls. I let out a deep breath, calming myself. I clasped my hand over my mouth before entering the bathroom…

********

_Hey there! I hope you liked it! Poor Gohan, he really got himself in a sti(n)ky situation! *insert evil laugh* Haha, I know it was wrong of me to do that to him… But it was just so darn funny!.._

I have been getting a few requests from readers wanting Gohan to age, so I tell you what; I am holding a poll. If more than 10 reviewers want him to age, I will somehow write it into the story, and if more than 10 reviewers don't want that and like him the way he is, I won't change a thing. Okay?  
So vote! Every single one counts!

Until next week! :D 


	16. Chap15: GomihTrunks sitting in a tree

_Hey, I decided to post this chapter today because I am currently busy with the reunion chapter, and I can't finish it before I know where everyone stands with the age thing._

Thank you for every vote you guys. The current score is:

Yes (make him age): 7  
No (don't make him age): 10

I am just worried that some of you will stop reading my story if I do or don't make him age; like a few said in the reviews and a few declared in PM's; and I don't want that.

So are some of you guys really going to stop reading this if I make a certain decision?**  
**_  
I will give reviewers another two weeks to vote and air their opinions and after that I will count the votes and the option with the most votes will win. Okay?_

Hope you like chap 15! :D I have written a bit of romance for you hopeless romantics! Enjoy!****

_**(PS... I am so ecstatic that I broke the 100 review barrier! *gleeful squeal* Never thought I would reach it! Thank you for all the reviewers who made that possible! *happy dance*)**_****

CHAPTER 15: Gomih and Trunks sitting in a tree…

_Six years after the Cell games, on earth…_  
_  
(Piccolo's POV). _

We have all gathered at the Cell games arena, or actually where it _was_, like we do every year to commemorate the death of one of the bravest warriors the world has ever seen. He was also my friend; my best friend, yet he was yanked away from this planet and life at such a young age. I cringed. I would give anything to trade places with him right now, _anything_...

I walked over to the little grave we built for him. My finger ran across the marble and my heart got heavy when I saw the picture taken of him just a few days before the battle that caused his death. He was sitting on my shoulders with a toothy idiotic grin while wearing my turban, which he stole! Even I had a smile on that photo, and I never smile on photos, they are ghastly things…

I put the rock, the same rock I received four years ago by Gohan when we travelled to Otherworld to save him, which I brought for this occasion, the sixth anniversary of his death, on the ground next to all the flowers; flowers are so tacky, when Gohan sees all these he won't know who gave him all the flowers, but when his eyes rest upon the rock, he will smile softly and shake his head slowly while saying my name.

I am sorry I didn't protect you Gohan; I am sorry that I didn't try harder to discourage your father in making you fight that horrible monster. I knew you didn't want to; I could see it in your eyes, but yet I did nothing; and for that I am truly sorry.

I broke the promise I made you when I took you under my wing when you were a mere infant, not knowing of better. In the beginning training you was out of vengeance, but you changed that. I promised that no matter what happens to you, I would always be there to protect you. It is ironic isn't it? After all those years I dedicated to destroy your father, the vengeance is stopped when I befriended _his_ son. Gohan, you are the only real friend I have ever had, and I want to thank you. I still remember the first day I brought you here, you were small, helpless, but you have changed so much. The harder things got, the more determined you became. The more dangers you faced, the stronger you grew. I know I was hard on you, but it was for your own good. You were like the son I never had and I am proud of you.

A flashback of his death echoed through my skull. I flinched as I relived one of the most horrible days of my life. A hand rested on my shoulder. I cringed, _Goku_.

"Every year I think that things will get easier, but they never do." He said sadly.

I shook his cold hand from my shoulders. "Get your hands off me!" I spat. "You know I still blame you for his death." I said in the most civilized voice I could manage.

"Piccolo, can't we just move past this." He started. "Gohan wouldn't want us to be fighting."

"Then I guess you shouldn't have forced your eleven year old son to fight a monster stronger than him!" I spat. He flinched at my accusation.

"Don't you think I feel the guilt running through my body every second of every day?" He questioned. "It is eating me up inside Piccolo."

I am not going to pity him. "Good that is how you should feel." He sighed sadly.

I stormed off, not in the mood to continue that fruitless conversation. I almost walked straight into an emotional Gomih who was staring angrily at the statue of Hercule that was constructed on this very site as a sign of honour for "saving" the people on earth's lives.

Gohan should have been seventeen now too, I thought sadly as I stared at the almost full-grown Gomih in front of me. I wondered what he would have looked like when he was seventeen. He would have probably changed his hair and he would have definitely been taller than me. I bet that all the female humans would have flocked around him like flies around a piece of dung.

"I hate this man with all my being." Gomih stated venomously out of the blue. I looked up at the nauseating replica of earth's champ. "Me too kid, me too."

I aimed a blast at the heart of the statue and fired it. It was disintegrated immediately. She smiled up at me. "You know that is useless; I destroy this piece of crap almost every month, but they still reconstruct it." She let out a low chuckle. "I thought the idiots would have learned by now."

I laughed with her. "Yeah I know. I destroy this thing on a monthly basis too."

She smiled up at me. "I love seeing his minions squirm every time they have to put his ugly face back together again." She laughed again. "No one deserves a fate so cruel."

I nodded, "True, but they decided to believe that potato."

"Isn't it ironic that I am best friends with his daughter?" She asked as she looked up at me.

I shook my head. "Not really; she isn't her sorry excuse for a father and hopefully she inherited most of her genes from her mother."

She smiled softly at me. "You always know what to say tall green one." She mocked me with a wink.

I replied with a grunt. "I feel the same way about you and your father."

She sighed softly. "You realize that you are going to have to bury the hatchet some day, you can't stay mad at him forever." She lectured.

I scoffed. "Try me…"

Trunks appeared out of nowhere and put his arms around Gomih's waist, hugging her. Her eyes shot momentarily wide, but she returned the gesture with closed eyes. I smiled to myself, there is definitely something going on between those two.

I blasted off into the sky; taking a final look back at his grave. "Goodbye my friend..." I whispered under my breath and headed towards the lookout.

_(Gomih's POV)_

I saw Piccolo speeding away, from Trunks' shoulder. "Hey! We are all getting together at Capsule Corporation after this! Where are you going?" Trunks flinched at the high volume of my voice so close to his ear. I let go of his embrace; it did get awkwardly long...

Piccolo stopped mid-air and looked directly into my eyes. I read his expression, it said: "_No way in hell I am going to spend time with all those morons."_ How about rather: "_Not be in the same room as my father." _

I sighed sadly. "When are those two going to make up?" I asked aloud at no one specifically.

Trunks looked at me in confusion. "Who?" He asked with his head turned askew.

I shook my head slowly. "Never mind..."

"Gomih, I..." Trunks started to say.

"Hey guys! Are you coming or what?" Bulma yelled from across the plateau and waved her hands in the air, trying to get our attention. But she was really hard to miss; she was wearing a bright red dress to young for her age, demanding attention.

"Coming!" I yelled back at her; I saw Trunks mutter a silent curse from the corner of my eyes. I frowned, strange...

We both trotted to Bulma and the gang in awkward silence. Why is it awkward? Trunks and I have been close friends for years, why is it starting to feel weird now all of a sudden?

She smiled warmly at us and took a capsule out of her pocket. She threw it out in the open, making sure she doesn't hit anyone. It exploded and smoke settled around the vehicle. I crossed my fingers and closed my eyes. Please don't be that crappy slow yellow flying thing, please, please, please! I chanted over and over in my head.

"Gomih, what are you doing? Are you alright?" Dad asked me with a worried voice. Ugh, he is always friggin worried!

"Nothing!" I yelled irritated. "Can't you see I am...?" My eyes travelled to the gigantic yellow hovercraft, it was hard to miss. I sighed deeply with a disappointed pout on my lips. Great!

Dad sighed, "You have the attention span of a rabid squirrel."

My pout turned annoyed; I wonder where I got that from! I forced myself not to give him a death glare, otherwise I am going to hear the _'you are such a rebel and disrespectful child'_ speech again; I got that bad boy memorised by now.

"Sure Daddy..." I managed to choke out in the most girly voice; and fluttered my eyelashes at him lovingly. He looked even more confused now and turned to Mother for some kind of explanation. She shrugged and continued her conversation with Bulma.

"I swear; raising a teenager is like nailing jello to a tree." He muttered softly.

Whatever.

"All aboard!" Bulma yelled at us. Everybody streamed through that tiny ugly yellow door. I cringed; I really hate this piece of machinery.

"Hey Mother," Trunks yelled next to me. She walked over to us.

"Yes?" She asked her only son.

"Do you mind if Gomih and I fly on our own back to Capsule Corp?" He asked.

"Sure son," She said with a smile and winked at him. A faint blush formed on his cheek; again, odd!

"Thanks" He said grateful to her and tugged on my arm. "Wanna go?" He asked. I smiled. I didn't answer him, I just jumped into the air, and he followed.

"You have no idea how happy I am that you suggested this." I thanked him with a brilliant smile.

He chuckled, "Yeah, I know how much you love that craft." He teased.

I laughed. "Yeah, if the law allowed it, I would have married that piece of crap!" He laughed loudly at my joke.

"So how's life been treating you?" I asked, trying to make small talk.

He shrugged. "As glamorous as the life of a twenty-two year old CEO of Capsule Corp can be." He smiled, "And yours? What noteworthy has happened in your life since the last time I saw you?"

I smiled, "Oh you mean what has happened in my life the last week? Hmmm... Tough one, I don't know where to start." I put my hand on my chin, as if deeply in thought. "Ah, I converted oxygen into carbon dioxide!" I joked.

He chuckled. "Noteworthy! You must be exhausted." He exclaimed.

"You have no idea!" I stated and dramatically 'fainted' into his arms. His eyes widened as his arms caught my falling frame. His face flashed bright red before he placed me upright again. What is up with him? Why is he acting so uncomfortable?

His voice turned serious. "Now, seriously, how are you doing?" I knew where he was converting the conversation too, but I didn't mind. Trunks was the only person in the world I felt comfortable enough to talk about this stuff with, beside Piccolo. He is such a great friend. I still remember the first day we met, when I was just seven years old, as if it were just yesterday...

*Flashback*

_Rain was pouring out of the clouds like rivulets. I stared up the majestic clouds. Raining was my favourite kind of weather; I could live like this my whole life, I don't need sunlight. I closed my eyes and threw my face towards the clouds; the light raindrops caressed my cheeks._

"You know what they say about rain?" Gohan interrupted my sweet moment with nature.

"What?" I asked annoyed.

He leaned in closer with big eyes. "It is scientifically proven that rain is…" He looked around him, making sure that no one is within earshot of us. He pulled back and shook his head. "No you aren't ready to hear this…" He finally said.

That made me even more curious. "Tell me!" I yelled at him; I was intrigued. He seemed to chew over his words, deciding if he really wanted to tell me.

"Fine," He whispered and leaned in closer again. "The scientists have proven that the clouds are the angles toilets, therefore raindrops are angle pee." He said quietly. I smacked him through his smug face. He put his left palm over his cheek; I was proud to say that my handprint was embedded into his cheek; a real shiner!

"What did you do that for?" He asked shocked.

"Mom said that you should stop telling me these little fibs! Just because you use big words doesn't mean they are true!" I quoted Mom flawlessly.

He let out a chuckle. "Good job" He exclaimed a little surprised and gave me a noogie. Ugh, I hated it when he did that! I pulled his hair and pinched him; but oddly enough he didn't return the gestures. One of our quarrels usually lasted days.

"Gohan?" I asked worriedly when I saw him stare absentmindedly in a Northern direction. He turned to me; his face expressed a horrid frenzy of negative emotions. "Do you feel that?" He asked, his voice quivered a bit. I heightened my ki-senses and felt a huge power heading for earth. I frowned at him a little frightened.

"Gohan, who is that?" I asked scared.

"Frieza…" He stated in disbelief. "I thought Dad killed him on Namek!" He paced back and forth nervously. He always did this when his brain was working in overdrive. The ring of the phone made us both flinch. We shared a worried look before he ran in the house, running past Mom.

"I'll get it!" He yelled and answered the phone. I followed Gohan like a little shadow; knowing that he will protect me if needed.

"Hey Krillen, yeah I feel it too." Oh so Krillen is calling. "This isn't good. It can't be you know who could it?" His voice quavered again. This Frieza guy must be terrifying. "Right…" I wonder what Krillen was suggesting. "Right, will do. I will see you soon." He put the phone back on its cradle.

I looked at him puzzled, waiting for an explanation. "We are all going to Ginger Town; they say Frieza's spaceship will land there." I nodded. "I am coming with you." Gohan objected at first but after my pestering agreed that I could accompany him. All of us waited in expectation for Frieza to arrive. We all hid behind a cliff when his spaceship finally landed and just when we wanted to charge him head-on, a mysterious lavender-hair boy with a sword in his hands appeared out of nowhere and picked Frieza's henchmen apart like they were nothing. He did the same with Frieza and his father.

His hair turned bright gold as he sliced them apart. Gohan described that that was what Dad looked like when he transformed into a super Saiyan. After the fight we were all very curious about the strange boy, so we confronted him.

The twelve-year-old claimed that he was from the future; and in his time earth's population was wiped out completely, he was the only one who was left. I felt so sorry for him and gave him a hug. He wasn't taken aback by my gesture at all, he actually seemed flattered.

He told us that Bulma and Vegeta were his parents, to our shock. We also found out that the two of them got secretly married in that year, so they agreed to adopt Trunks, as he was technically their biological son and had nowhere else to go to.

From that moment on Gohan, Trunks and I became the best of friends. We were inseparable when we were together. Everyone called us the troublesome trio. Good times…

And I must admit; I had a crush on him from the beginning. My favourite colour at the time was purple, and his hair was also. I thought it was fate's way of giving me a sign of true love. If only we could go back to those days…

*Flashback ends*

Trunks waved his hand in front of my face violently. "Hello, Earth to Gomih?"

I smiled wearily at him. "Sorry, I spaced out for a moment there." I apologised.

He chuckled. "What were you thinking about?" I shook my head slowly.

"Nothing really; so where were we?" I asked, I honestly couldn't remember what we were talking about.

"I was asking you how you were really doing." He stated. Oh right, I remember now.

"The worst kind of feeling is when you're smiling just to keep the tears from falling." I answered truthfully. He gazed at me sympathetically. "There are still those occasional nights when I break down and cry because I know that things are never going to be the same. I feel so guilty that I stopped searching for him. I gave up on my twin, who does that?" I looked at him, seeking comfort, but secretly hoped that he wouldn't give it to me; I don't deserve it.

"Giving up doesn't always mean you are weak Gomih, sometimes it just means that you are strong enough to let go." Tears welled up in my eyes; those were the nicest words I have ever heard in my life.

"Trunks, that is..."

"Oomph!" He cried and feathers flew in every direction imaginable as his head and a bird's collided. He actually flew right into a bird! I couldn't hold in my laugh when I saw his bewildered expression. My stomach started to ache and I clutched it as my laugh grew deeper. He flew back to me, wiping all the stray feathers off his face.

"I am glad you find my pain and humiliation laughable!" He yelled at me, apparently angry, but I could hear his voice was on the verge of cracking into laughter himself.

"I'll give you something to laugh about!" He stated and started tickling me. My laughs turned panicked and I punched wildly around me, until I hit something and the tickling stopped. I opened my eyes and saw Trunks wiping blood off the corner of his mouth.

"I am so sorry!" I apologized. "But I warned from the beginning of time that I am not responsible for the injuries you get if you tickle me!"

"Looks like the training with me and my dad paid off!" He exclaimed while rubbing his sore spot.

I got closer to examine his wound. "It's not that bad..." I started to say, but the words were caught in my throat when I realized that our faces were extremely close to each other, almost touching. I felt a weird but warm feeling rise in my stomach as our eyes met, it wasn't an entirely unpleasant feeling. I wanted to turn away, but I just couldn't make my body react.

He held my gaze and moved in closer; he cradled his hands under my face and pulled it closer, I didn't object. I could feel his uneven breathing caressing my skin; I closed my eyes right before our lips touched.

He kissed me softly on the lips. I threw my arms around his neck and he passionately pulled me closer to his body with his arms secured around my waist. I could feel his heart beat lively against my chest. Our lips parted and he still held me tight in an embrace. I smiled awkwardly at him; what should I do now? I saw that he was at a total loss too. Our eyes met again and we laughed awkwardly; a blush formed on both of our cheeks.

Reluctantly he let go of me and the next thing I knew I was tumbling through the sky as I fell down to earth...

How does one fly again? I raked my brain desperately for the answers but I found nothing. I can't believe I forgot how to fly! "Heeeeeelp!" I yelled panicky up at Trunks who just floated in the air as if there was nothing amiss. His eyes widened and he flashed to my side instantly, catching me into his strong arms. Hmmmm, he smells nice…

"Sorry, I don't know what happened." I exclaimed a little dazzled by his nearness.

He smiled smugly. "I am a good kisser." He stated surely.

I let out a little giggle. "Yeah sure mister arrogance!" I wasn't going to deny it; his kiss took my breath away! And apparently made me forget everything except how to breathe!

His smile grew deeper. "You didn't deny it..." He noticed. A warm feeling formed on my cheeks as I blushed deeply. He laughed at my bashful expression. "So can you fly on your own or should I carry you back?" He asked. I didn't want him to let go of me yet, or ever for that matter! "I prefer the second option." He whispered in my ear when I didn't answer right away. I giggled; his lips tickled my earlobes.

"Lead the way kid sir." I stated dramatically and gestured my arm forward. He took that as a yes and flew off with me tightly in his arms.

"So does this mean that we are a couple now?" I blurted out. A blushed formed on his cheeks. "I wouldn't mind, if you don't mind." He stuttered out nervously.

I smiled. "Is that your twisted way of asking a girl out?" I taunted.

He put on a war-face, and stopped flying. He stared me right in my eyes and I felt the butterflies returning and making a nest in my stomach. "Gomih, will you do me the extraordinary honour of being my girlfriend?" He asked coolly. Gosh, he made it sound like a marriage proposal, but nevertheless I was flattered.

"How can I say no to such a great request?" I asked rhetorically and gave him a peck on the cheek. He smiled down at me brilliantly. He exclaimed happily and made a few summersaults in the air. "Yay! I mean, good choice, you will never find another man as good-looking, intelligent, muscular, funny, charming; etcetera, etcetera than yours truly." I laughed again. I found his arrogance strangely attractive.

We took our sweet time to reach Capsule Corporation; when we finally arrived everybody was already there. Who would have thought that the slowest fly-craft in the world would have beaten two Saiyan-hybrids to the finish line?

"What took you guys so long?" Krillen asked when we walked into the room. Trunks peeked unsure at me; not knowing if I wanted to let everyone know about our newborn relationship.

"Air traffic is vicious this time of day." He said.

My mouth fell open internally in disbelief. Really? Who is retarded enough to buy that lousy explanation?! Apparently all my genius friends. They nodded at Trunks' horrible explanation and went on with their conversation. Wow, amazing!

Vegeta walked over to us. "What did really happen?" He directed to us. He is the only smart character in this room. His huge brain is probably hidden under all that hair of his! "Don't think that I am going to buy that crap you just sold to all these morons." I stared directly into his eyes; not threatened by his tough exterior.

"What are you going to do about it?" I taunted.

His face grew red in rage. "Don't you know who you are talking to brat?" He sneered. "It will not be the first time I have raised my hand to a woman."

Trunks frowned in embarrassment and offence. "Father, please." He warned.

I put my hands defensively in the air. "Whoa, chill Veggie, I was just messing with you!"

He seemed to calm down a little bit. "No one messes with the Prince of all Saiyans!"

I ignored his overused statement. "If you really must know, Trunks and I am an item." He looked at me confused. "You brats and your hidden teenage language!" He spat. "Are you his mate?" He asked.

I frowned, ew. "You make it sound so gross; we are just dating."

Vegeta scowled at me and walked away with his hands agitatedly in the air. He muttered something incoherent as he rushed off. I am glad I couldn't hear it; it didn't look like it was something pleasant.

Trunks looked a little hurt when I didn't tell anyone else as the evening progressed. Screw that. I grabbed his hand in mine and lifted it in the air.

"What are you doing?" He whispered at me.

I ignored him. "Hey everybody!" I yelled, trying to get everybody's attention. I spoke again when everybody was quiet and looking at me. "As of just a few minutes ago, Trunks and I am officially a couple."

Every one stood still, not knowing how to react. After a few seconds my dad raised his glass in the air. "Here here!" He yelled at us and gulped his Champaign down. Everyone laughed and did the same.

Bulma ran to us and gathered both of us in a bear hug. "Congratulations!"

Trunks led me outside to their magnificent garden, away from the noise; we were completely alone here and away from gawking eyes. He leaned against a tree and ran his fingers over my bare arms. I don't know why but that action made my whole body cover in goose-bumps. He leaned in closer and brushed some stray hairs that somehow managed to escape from my messy bun, away from my face.

"Thank you," He whispered. His sweet breath caressed my face. "I don't like secrets."

I looked straight into his pure blue eyes; my heart skipped a beat. "Neither do I." He smiled lovingly down at me and placed his forefinger under my chin, pulling it forward. He bent down and kissed me again. We continued the kiss for a few minutes until he abruptly pulled away. I opened my eyes startled.

I saw Trunks looking down at something with wide eyes and a blush. I followed his gaze and found his little sister, Amari, tugging wildly on his jeans.

"What were you doing Trunks?" She asked him, bewilderment planted on her five-year-old face. "Why were you biting Gomih's mouth?" She asked horrified.

I stifled a laugh as Trunks blinked rapidly, in search for an explanation. He got nothing; he just stood there silent like a deer in headlights. He shot me a desperate glare; I returned just with a smile. This is hilarious!

She backed away when he tried to grab her arm. "I am telling Mommy that you are eating other people!" She threatened. "You are a monster!" It sounded like she was on the verge of tears.

"Amari, no!" Trunks said slowly, making sure she understands him.

She ignored his plea and rushed to the den, where the party was at.

"You couldn't help me?" He asked offended as he ran after his little sister, but he never managed to catch her. She stormed into the den and let out an ear-splitting scream when Trunks picked her up effortlessly. His eyes shot wide when he noticed that every eye rested on him. He put her down slowly after whispering something into her ear.

She flinched after that and nodded at him. She galloped to the centre of the room and pointed at Trunks maliciously. "Mommy, Trunks was so hungry that he ate Gomih's face!" She yelled loudly. "Then he said that he will eat my dollies head too if I tell you this."

Everybody in the room laughed. "I am not lying! Please feed him hamburgers before he eats her up! I don't want him to eat her Mommy. I like her." Her big eyes started to fill with tears. Bulma let out a little chuckle and picked her youngest child up. "Honey, we will go make him a huge sandwich right now…" She soothed as she carried her back to her room.

Everybody went back to their conversations as if nothing out of place happened; except of course my mother. She glared at Trunks with the most viscous of death-stares. I rolled my eyes at her. Real mature Mother. I ignored her and slipped with Trunks back out to the garden.

"That was so embarrassing!" He exclaimed when we were outside again. I laughed. "I think it was hilarious!" Our eyes met and we both stood there in the moonlight laughing our asses off. We chatted for another hour before Bulma called us in for supper. We decided to keep the public displays of affection to a minimum.

All of us chatted and laughed around the dinner table. It has been such a long time since I actually felt happy.

After we were finished eating, Trunks and I helped Mother with the dishes. He told her many times that they had more than enough staff to finish the cleaning, but she refused to leave the kitchen dirty.

We later joined Marron and Amari at the TV, watching SpongeBob the Movie while the adults talked outside around a fire, one was never too old to watch SpongeBob. A sudden announcement interrupted the movie and the girls let out annoyed cries.

"We interrupt this show to bring you an important bulletin. We are calling out to all fighters across the Earth! WORLD MARTIAL ARTS Tournament is being hosted in two months. Do you have what it takes to take down the champ? Hercule Satan awaits all the fools who dare to take on the man who saved the world! A whole new arena, a whole new game! The Prize money is 5 million zennie folks! Be at Titan-islands on the 14th October this year for the event of a lifetime. Seating capacity limited to five million! So get your tickets today! Call 5-100-WMA-TICKET or buy online at !" Mister Satan appeared on the screen and gave his famous yell with both hands in the air showing his sign of victory, "YEAHHHHH! NO ONE BEATS ME! NOT THE CHAMP WHO SAVED THE WORLD!"

I rolled my eyes at the commercial. "Hey let's compete." I suggested to Trunks sitting next to me.

A small smile played on his lips. "You really want to fight with all those weak morons?" He questioned with a spark in his eyes.

I smiled back at him. "They won't all be weak if we get our friends and family to join." I grimaced at the thought of Hercule holding the championship belt again.

"Why not? Let's take that fraud down!" He exclaimed and I laughed at his tone.

We left the kids when the movie returned on the screen and headed outside to the others. "What do you guys say in competing in the World Martial arts Tournament?" I said temptingly.

"Those morons are hosting another tournament?" Vegeta asked irritated and took a sip of his beer.

"Yup, it is in two months time and the prize money is five million zennie." I exclaimed while holding five fingers up. I immediately got the attention of Eighteen and my mother.

Eighteen held her composure. "Krillen and I are in." She stated and Krillen smiled. "I actually stand a chance if all of you Saiyans don't compete." He gushed and Eighteen laughed. "Then we will finally be able to buy our own house and move out of Master Roshi's place."

"Hey, don't leave. Why would you want to move? My place is heaven." Master Roshi pleaded on his knees.

She frowned at him in disgust. "Yeah, no. I don't want to live with a perverted man like you for another day! And yeah, I found the cameras in the bathroom!"

A blush formed on his cheeks and he chuckled. "You weren't supposed to see that." He said awkwardly and moved his hand in the direction of her butt. Eighteen punched him in the face, resulting in him crashing into a tree. "Bastard…" She muttered under her breath.

"Okay then… Anyone else want to join us? Trunks and I are competing too." I offered.

My mother spoke up first. "Of course Goku will participate. We need the money."

"Okay Chi." Dad confirmed with half a chicken in his mouth.

"Then I shall compete too. I shall beat you this time Kakarot. And to make it better, it will be in public." Vegeta exclaimed.

Krillen's face fell. "Great, this stinks! Now I am going to be crushed! There goes my chance in winning."

Everyone laughed at Krillen's dispirited mood.

"Yay! This is going to be so much fun!" I exclaimed at Trunks.

He smiled. "Yes, but don't think that just because you are my girlfriend, that I am going to go easy on you."

I smiled back challenging. "Good…"

*********  
_Hey, I decided to post this chapter today because I am currently busy with the reunion chapter, and I can't finish it before I know where everyone stands with the age thing._

Thank you for every vote you guys. The current score is:

Yes (make him age): 7  
No (don't make him age): 10

I am just worried that some of you will stop reading my story if I do or don't make him age; like a few said in the reviews and a few declared in PM's; and I don't want that.

So are some of you guys really going to stop reading this if I make a certain decision?**  
**_  
I will give reviewers another two weeks to vote and air their opinions and after that I will count the votes and the option with the most votes will win. Okay?_

See you in two weeks with the reunion! Hope you are in suspense! Buahahaha


	17. Chapter 16: To Earth!

_Hey guys! Thank you all for airing your opinions, it feels like I really know my readers now, and I like that. :D Well as far as the vote goes, not aging him won greatly. And personally, I am glad, I don't think it is the right time for him to age; I will definitely age him in the future; I can't keep him 11 forever (no matter how much I want to :/). But not yet…_

Well anyway, here is the long-awaited chapter of Gohan returning to earth! *crowd cheers* I hope you guys enjoy it, it's my longest chapter thus far (OVER TEN THOUSAND WORDS!) and I really enjoyed writing it.

Thank you guys for your interest in my story! *bows out of respect*

Oh, and for those of you who didn't do the math in chap 15…. Trunks is 22 years old, making him five years older than Gomih (It's not too older, is it?)

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ…

Enjoy!****

CHAPTER 16: To Earth!

Tick… Tock… Tick… Tock… Time speeds away so quickly. Faster than the Roadrunner on steroids while wearing Adidas sneakers; faster than Usain Bolt in the Olympics; faster than a man running to the toilet after consuming laxatives... The bad news is that times fly, but the good news is that you are the pilot…

_Six years and two months after the Cell games…_

"I am not prohibiting you to talk to them Gohan, I know that you will, but I advise you not to. I don't want you to get to emotionally attached, when you know that you are going to leave them again. I leave the choice entirely up to you." Magisterial spoke after he explained the whole situation. I nodded solemnly. I was going back to earth! I was so excited to see Gomih and the others again, even though they weren't suppose to know about me…

"Ready?" Supreme Kai urged; he insisted that I call him by his real name, Shin, since we became good friends. I nodded and concentrated on earth's coordinates. I was pretty good with Instantaneous movement by now, but there was still one thing I couldn't get the hang of.

My aim…

"Nice job Gohan…" Kibito retorted sarcastically when he brushed the leaves out of his hair. "Next time try not landing in a tree!"

I pouted at him. "Okay…" I teleported us back to the sacred realm of the Kai's. "Now let's see you do it better!" I challenged the giant red bodyguard.

Shin sighed. "You two are always bickering!"

Kibito ignored his statement. "Gladly," He said arrogantly. We were instantly back, to Magisterial's realm and appeared in his bathroom, where he was relaxing in the tub. Thank goodness for the bubbles, otherwise I would have had scars no, none-professional could heal…

My sensei let out a girlish shriek at our sudden presence. "Why are you back? Didn't I just tell you to go save your galaxy?" He directed to me.

"Yes, but Kibito here is impossible! He thinks he can teleport better than me, so we are putting it to the test…" I smiled at him. "His aim is not that sharp either. Look where we ended up!"

He was immediately on the defence. "You told me to teleport back to Magisterial, and I did! Closer couldn't I have gone? Except if you wanted to get in the tub with him!"

Magisterial sighed. "I am getting to old for this…" He raised his hands to us and suddenly we were back on earth.

"You see, silly mortal, I am better at this then you are…" Kibito replied smugly as he pointed at our surroundings on earth.

"No fair! That wasn't even you moron! Magisterial teleported us!" I attacked.

Kibito smiled deviously. "Prove it…" He said slowly.

"I will put proof in your butt!" I yelled. "And just for future reference, my right foot's name is Proof!"

Shin placed a finger on my lips, shushing me. "We don't have much time. We have a tournament to get to!" He whispered urgently and looked around him. "Now choose someone to be, remember, your family must not know you are here; we will meet you at the tournament."

I nodded at him and scowled at Kibito. "See you in a minute."

They teleported away, leaving me alone in the desolated area.

I looked around me and I realised that I was in the desert where I had fought Cell. These landscapes were engraved in my memory, and hadn't changed much in the six years I have been deceased. The giant crater, created by my suicide attempt, was still apparent between the canyons. I sighed as I witnessed the place I lived my final moments again after all those years. If only…

_No…_ I forced myself back, away from what could have been and concentrated on all the cities near me, trying to think where I can find somebody to be, someone who won't be at the tournament. I decided to go to Ginger Town, it was the town furthest located from the islands the tournament would be held on. But just before I transported, something caught my eye.

A little grave stood out like a sore thumb in the barren wasteland. I walked to the sight, curious to see who was buried here alone in the desert. I gasped as I read my name.

_Son Gohan; A great brother; son; friend and loyal comrade. Rest in peace…_

A memorial of me; I thought they would forget about me, but as I saw the fresh flowers I realised that that wasn't the case at all. I felt so touched; a tear actually rolled off my cheek. I laughed as my eyes rested upon the green rock I sent Piccolo five years back. I didn't think he would keep it!

My fingers ran down the marble stone of the grave and I smiled at the photographs of random moments of my life. I forced myself away from the sight, knowing that I could stay here all day, remembering…

As I turned away, I was greeted by a tall statue of an oddly familiar-looking man. Layers of concrete were placed around the statue and a sign that read: _Please don't blow up this landmark_, stood scribbled at the front of the man. Oh, the humans probably think that this goofball defeated Cell. I laughed as I thought back at his failed attempt in defeating Cell.

But if you actually think about it, he is the true hero. If it weren't for him throwing Sixteen's head to me, I wouldn't have transformed into my SS2 state and oblivirated Cell. I smiled sincerely up at the giant man as I put my hand on his concrete leg. "You really are a champ." I sent some of my ki to the riser, creating a protective barrier. No one will be able to destroy you again now…

I teleported to Ginger Town, not wasting another minute; looking for someone to 'clone'. I decided on a young boy; he looked about a year older than me. Yeah, I can handle him. I focussed on his appearance and ki-signal and travelled to an alley so no-one would notice my change. I made his ki my own and opened my eyes. Great; I was a little taller now. It worked; now I must get back.

Shin and Kibito's ki's stuck out like flamingos in a flock of pigeons, so it was easy to trace them and teleport near to them. They were standing near the ice-cream-cart right before the entrance. Real subtle guys!

I met up with them quickly, and they approved my disguise. We walked together to the sign-in booth. They both scribbled their names down on the admissions sheet and were let through. However when I walked up the manager pushed the children's applicant towards me.

"Excuse me but I would like to enter in the adult division." I said promptly and pulled the other admissions sheet closer to me, but he yanked it away. "That is not how it works now mister; children under sixteen years must compete in the children's division. No exceptions."

I pouted. "That stinks; since when?"

"The last time a youngling got killed by an adult." He shook his head slowly in despair. "Now do you want to fill this form in or what?"

I flashed a brilliant smile. "I am seventeen." I said convincingly.

"Nice try bud. Next!" He yelled and an oversized bodybuilder pushed me to the side.

_Gohan where are you?_ Shin asked me telepathically.

_I have a little problem, they don't let kids fight in the high leagues anymore; I am going to find another persona. Gonna be a little late._ I replied.

He sighed in my mind_. Very well, I think I found the messengers of Babidi though._

My eyes lit up. _Really? Tell me more._ I urged.

_Get your things sorted out first; we will discuss it when you return._

I sighed annoyed_. Fine._

I teleported back to Ginger Town again, and found a lean man. He was dressed in shaggy jeans, a white tank top and combat boots. Fierce tattoos of skulls stuck out on his biceps and his head was shaved. He must be off to vacation; I noted when I saw him packing suitcases into his aeroplane. He looked around his late twenties, perfect! I made his ki and appearance mine and teleported back.

I stood at the back of the queue for admissions and hummed a little tune out of boredom while I waited for my turn. Sheesh, I go away for five minutes and the whole world decides to enter!

"So is your Dad coming?" A young man started talking behind me.

"Of course, he is Goku for crying out loud!" I cringed at the young girl's voice.

"Gomih?" I asked out loud in surprise and turned around to look into familiar eyes. There was no doubt about it; that was Gomih.

I gaped at her almost full-grown appearance. Her face has lost all its childish roundness, replaced with a well framed heart-shaped face. Her hair was also much longer than the shoulder length it usually claimed; the ivory river flowed down to the small of her back, silky smooth, except for the few characteristic Saiyan spikes popping out at her forehead. She was wearing a blue and pink gi-dress stopping just above her knee, with matching bright pink armbands and shoes. I was surprised to see that she wore make-up, her lips were coloured in a natural pink and her eyes were lined with black, making her ivory eyes sparkle. I almost didn't recognise her at first; she looked so girly…

"Yes?" She asked confused with a frown on her brows.

Oh crap; I haven't been on earth for an hour and I have already blown my cover. I decided to play dumb.

"What?" I growled back annoyed in the deepest voice I could muster. Her frown deepened.

"You just said my name." She stated with a hint of defence in her voice.

"No I didn't." I retorted back childishly.

"Uh, yeah you did and you just looked me up and down like I was a piece of meat! So are we going to have a problem?" Her voice was calm, but I could hear the storm brewing under the calm exterior.

"I don't know what you think you heard little missy, but I didn't say your name."

She sighed angrily and pulled up her sleeves. "Are we going to have a problem mister?" She repeated more threatingly.

"What is your name even?!" I yelled a little loud.

"Gomih," She said slowly as if I were retarded. "You just said it."

I made my eyes shoot wide. "Oh… This is just a big misunderstanding. I was chanting encouragement to myself. GO… M.E!" I spelled.

Her face fell. "Oh, you are just arrogant. But that doesn't explain why you are still gawking at me like I am some shiny object!" She yelled and some people began to stare, but she didn't seem in the least concerned.

I let out an awkward smile. "I am a full blooded male you know; who can resist a pretty young thing like you." I smacked her on the butt. My eyes widened. Ugh, why did I just do that?! That is just wrong on so many levels! Why can't I act under pressure?!

Her eyes filled with disgust and she rolled her sleeves up again while muttering "pig."

Crap, her temper must have grown like her length.

"Gomih…" Someone next to her said calmly and placed a hand on her shoulder. I followed the muscular arm to the body and recognised a full grown Trunks. He looked exactly the same as I remembered him, just a lot taller and a little more muscular. Thank goodness he's here! He will make her listen to reason.

He punched me in the nose and I fell flabbergasted to the ground clutching my bleeding nose.

"What you do that for?" I exclaimed stunned. Trunks was the one person who I knew was _always_ cool and collected, despite his aggressive Saiyan nature.

"Say something to my girlfriend again, and I am going to rearrange your face!" He whispered menacingly.

_Girlfriend?_ "You two are a couple?!" I asked in shock.

They both frowned in confusion. "Yes, and what's it to you?" Gomih asked and crossed her hands over her chest. I can't believe she is with someone we considered family! He was like our brother, not a cuddling partner!

"That's just… Ew!" I exclaimed in disgust and pointed at Gomih. "You are sick!" I clasped my hands over my mouth as soon as the words were uttered.

"A woman brought you into this world, you better respect one." Trunks stated venomously and put his arm protectively around Gomih's waist.

"Noted." I said and hurriedly got up and went to the bathroom to clean up my face _and_ avoid further conflict.

As I returned I saw a group of people huddling together around Gomih and Trunks. I tried not to make eye-contact and resumed my place in the line.

"I wonder if there is going to be any worthy fighters here today. I have a feeling that there will be." I recognised my Dad's cheerful voice clearly. _Oh this was hard_. Every fibre in my being wanted me to run up to him and hug him, telling him how sorry I was for killing him, but I couldn't. I considered it momentarily to change back to my normal form, back to myself, and greet them, but I knew that that would be a bad move. I don't want them to get involved into this mess.

"That's my Goku." I recognised my mother's loving voice as she planted a kiss on Dad's cheek.

"Really Mother? I would prefer it if you guys scale down on the love while you are in public, and I don't know, in front of your daughter!" Gomih exclaimed in disgust and everyone laughed.

"I think we must head out to our seats guys," Bulma's voice chirped. "We will let you muscle heads get on your way." She taunted and winked at Vegeta who looked like he couldn't be bothered.

"This is going to be boring." Vegeta complained. "The only reason I entered was to fight Kakarot."

"You never know Vegeta, maybe you won't even make it to the second round." I recognised Krillen's voice, mocking Vegeta.

"Maybe you won't even make it to the blasted entries desk if _you_ continue." Vegeta threatened.

"Vegeta, sweetie, remember when I explained the term 'jokes' to you…" Bulma's voice trailed off and Vegeta grunted in response. She chuckled at her spouse and gathered everybody who wasn't going to fight and walked in the direction of the pavilion.

I froze as I recognised my mother's figure pass by me. The fact that she aged was noticeable; I could see a few wrinkles peek out at her forehead and eyes and her hair was held together in a tight bun above her head, rather than her loose hairstyle when she was younger. A few strands of grey hairs also popped out of her bun. She must be in her late thirties by now.

She was talking with Bulma as she walked by, not knowing that her youngest child was mere inches away from her.

I recognised Bulma's figure instantly; nobody had _that_ shade of blue hair but her. It was cropped short in a new hairstyle. Her bright red skimpy dress, which was _way_ too young for her, caught the attention of many a man, who I saw staring wide-eyed at the blue-haired beauty. She has probably already broken the forty-barrier. It didn't look like it though. Her skin was glowing, and her now short hair was full of volume.

Right on cue, Master Roshi appeared behind her with a camera, snatching shots of her bum. I snickered at the old pervert; he didn't change at all.

I noticed a little girl holding Bulma's hand. She looked about six years old and exactly like Bulma. Good for them; they had another child. Her short, high-ponytail bounced on top of her head as she skipped next to her mother to their seats.

Yamcha and Chautzu also accompanied the women to the pavilion. I wasn't surprised that they didn't compete; the fight has left their veins a long time ago. Yamcha also changed his hair; it was much shorter than it was before, but Chautzu's appearance didn't alter; he still resembled an evil little demon clown…

I rubbed my eyes to make sure that I wasn't imagining things. Eighteen was heading towards the little group of fighters after giving the little blond girl on her hip to my mother. You are just imagining it Gohan, I reassured myself. Eighteen was killed by Cell, probably just a look-alike.

"Next!" I heard an impatient yell rang through my eardrums. "Oh, uh, you guys can go first; I am waiting for my friends." I waved for my friends to go past me. Gomih and Trunks went by me without making eye contact but Dad stopped in front of me. It has been such a long time since I have seen those kind eyes stare back at me.

"Thank you sir, are you going to compete too?" He asked friendly. It didn't look like he has aged a day since the last time I saw him, he looked exactly the same.

I couldn't find the function of my mouth and simply nodded.

He smiled at me. "Great, I hope to see you there." He said and moved past me to talk to Gomih. Vegeta also passed me with his hands across his chest; he didn't notice my presence.

"Goku, wait up!" A midget ran past me. My mouth fell open. Krillen?! He had a mop of brown hair on his head. I thought his baldness was chronic? Oh my goodness…

I froze when Piccolo went to stand behind me. I can't do this anymore! I stepped away from the queue, letting Piccolo pass me and took a deep breath. I closed my eyes and forced myself not to go over to them and tell them the truth, compromising our plan.

After what seemed like an eternity, they were gone and into the next room. I walked over to the admissions desk.

"Name and registration please," The man at the desk asked. "My name is Go…" Idiot you can't use your real name! I scolded myself.

"I am sorry sir, but I didn't quite catch that." He said politely.

"My name is, uh, Bob." I stuttered and he wrote it down on the list. "Okay Bob, can I see some identification?" I sighed. Of course he wants to see identification.

I rested my elbows on the desk and looked the manager directly in the eyes. _You will let this gentleman pass through without wanting his identification. _I pushed into his mind. My stomach grumbled as I inhaled the tasty aroma of his chicken and mayo sandwich on the chair next to him. _And you will give him your sandwich._ He smiled up at me and gestured me to go through. "Oh sir, do you want this sandwich? I have lost my appetite all of a sudden." I flashed him a toothy smile. "Thank you, I haven't had anything to eat since breakfast." I took the sandwich eagerly from him and began eating it ravishingly, immediately.

I located my two allies' ki's and met up with them. "What took you so long?" Supreme Kai asked irritated. "We already found Babidi's minions." He subtly pointed to two big bald men dressed in only white gi-pants with a purple belt. But what caught my attention was the italic 'M' carved on their foreheads.

"So that '_M_' mark means they are property of the Majin?" I asked curiously. Shin nodded approvingly. "Good job, now we must just follow them to Babidi's location when they gathered their dose of pure energy."

I frowned at him. "Since when was that part of the plan?"

He avoided eye contact. "Since you took so long to get here we had to strategise alone."

"Okay, whatever. But how will they get so much pure energy?" I asked.

"Simply, three of your friends have high power levels with pure energy. They will do the job." Kibito answered.

My eyes widened in shock. "No, no, no. You promised that you will not involve my friends and family in this problem!" I nearly shouted.

"Gohan calm down, you are attracting a lot of attention." Shin whispered almost incoherently.

"I don't care!" I yelled. "Keep your end of the promise or I will expose us." I said softer, more threatingly.

He shrugged. "Do as you wish." He called my bluff.

Dammit. I sighed and fell dispirited down on the grass on my butt. "You guys are the reason I need therapy…"

Shin chuckled. We sat in silence for a while. My eyes never left that of my friends and I looked away quickly whenever they sensed my stare and turned around too; it was usually Gomih. Another group also joined Gomih and Trunks. They were probably friends of hers from school.

A short-ish blond girl wearing a green tank top and very short jeans stood next to Trunks. Her hair was cropped short and she had big blue eyes; her appearance reminded me of a pixie.

A tall boy was holding her hand. He was kind of muscular in built and had long caramel hair flowing till his shoulders. I overheard their names being Erasa and Sharpner. And the girl Gomih was talking to feverishly, was muscular for a female and had black hair bind into two ponytails. Isn't that the girl I saw I fell in love with in my supposed future in Reynard's vision? I got goosebumps, creepy…

A weird sad feeling settled in my stomach as I saw them laughing and having a good time. I could have been a part of that, I thought depressed. They could have been my friends too.

What did you think, Gohan, they were going to put off their lives just because you were dead? I was a bit disappointed that they were happy and not sad. But I can't blame them; life goes on…

_Gohan!_ Shin whispered urgently in my mind.

_You know you don't have to whisper, we are completely alone in here._ I said irritated.

_Never mind that!_ He shot back loudly and I flinched. _Look there!_ I followed where he mentally pointed.

_Yeah so? It is just a normal guy. I don't sense anything evil about him._

He mentally face palmed himself. _That is you, Bob!_

I concentrated more on the guys' ki and looks. My eyes shot wide. _Crap…!_

Shin scoffed. _That is an understatement! Dispose of him!_ He instructed. _Before one of your friends notice something's off._

_You want me to kill him?_ I asked shocked.

_ If it comes to that, yes._ He said emotionless.

My mouth fell open. We _are protectors! We don't kill the people we are supposed to protect!_

_The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. _He quoted back what I always preached to him.

I grimaced. _How dare you back-quote me? _He shrugged indifferently_.  
_  
_Maybe I can find someone else and re-enter the tournament._ I suggested.

He shook his head slowly. _The entry-desk is already closed; you are going to have to find another way, STAT!_

I moaned. _Can't Kibito do it?_ _He is evil-ish._ I pleaded and fluttered my eyelashes at my red friend.

_Not a chance._ He retorted almost immediately.

_Ugh fine!_

I stomped off into the direction of my replica. I put my hoodie over my head and stood about 50 meters away from him, still at a total loss of what to do. Think Gohan, think! I urged myself; nothing came to mind. Okay, following savage instincts it is!

I let out a battle cry as I tackled my look-alike. He cursed as I struck him down and we both fell to the ground; me on top of him. He was luckily unconscious; otherwise it would have just been super awkward.

"What are you doing to Carlos?" A tall bald buff man in a tank-top asked, probably his friend. Great, Gohan is the smartest guy in the universe!

"Uh, Carlos here, is my uh boyfriend." I stuttered. Was that really the best I could come up with?

His friend picked me up at my shirt. "Carlos is married!" He yelled.

I untangled his hand from my shirt and smiled awkwardly. "I know…" I let out a soft sigh. "I am his mistress, but please don't tell his wife." I pleaded under the pressure.

He backed away slowly. "Don't worry, I won't tell my sister anything! You are!" He dragged me by my shirt and I used my ki to lift Carlos up so he could 'follow' me. Well this sucks; I am ruining these people's lives!

"Hey big dude?" I directed to Carlos's friend out of desperation.

"What?" He asked angrily. I looked around me; thank goodness no one was around.

"Say hello to my little friend!" I exclaimed and punched him in the face. He fell down, instantly unconscious. I put both my hands on them and teleported them to Master Roshi's island. I rubbed my hands together. "Done and dusted."

I went back to Kibito and Shin. "Good job in not attracting any unwanted attention." Kibito said sarcastically.

"I did the best I could with the cards I was dealt with!" I defended myself.

"You know you could have just used the mind crush to render them unconscious and quickly teleported them away. Nobody would have noticed." Kibito revealed his plan with a smirk.

"Then why didn't you tell me to do that?!"

Shin smiled. "You are technically not a student anymore; we are not allowed to aid a junior protector."

"UGH!" I exclaimed agitatedly.

"I hear you are batting for the other team now." Kibito stifled laughs as he said that.

"It isn't even worth it!" I yelled and sat down. This was going to be a long day…

After about half an hour, one of the tournament officials arrived with a chart. "Everybody report to the preliminary ring for the qualifications." He yelled a few times in an unbearable loud voice. I got up and walked with the other fighters like sheep to the new room. We all got into a queue and waited for our turn to punch some machine thing to moderate our power levels to see who qualifies.

_Hey, so how is this pure energy thing going to work?_ I asked Shin as we claimed our places in the queue; we were last in line, hoping that he devised another plan that would keep my friends out of it.

_I am sorry Gohan but there is no other way; you're Dad, sister or Trunks will most likely be the victim. They are the only ones with pure energies high enough for Babidi to take interest in. _

_Shin, we already went through this. I don't want my friends to be involved. I know them, they are nosy! They will fish for more information and join us to kill Buu as soon as they know._

Shin shrugged. _Maybe their presences will aide us_.

I sighed. _That was not the deal Shin._

_I apologise, but I don't see another way to this. Otherwise we will never find Buu's whereabouts. Babidi will unleash him into the world to kill everybody. Do you want more blood on your hands?_ He asked.

I flinched. _That was uncalled for._

_You started it. So are you going to go ahead with this plan or am I going to have to restrict you_?

I scoffed arrogantly. _ You can't restrain me even if you tried. _

My body fell suddenly paralysed and I sighed. _I hate that technique!_ I yelled at him but he simply smiled. He released his grip and I slumped back to normal.

My eyes lit up as I thought of a brilliant idea. _But what if I have a counter proposal?_ I asked suspenseful.

Shin and Kibito both raised their eyebrows. _Go on…_ They said simultaneously.

I smiled, happy that I had their attention. _What if I was the one those minions saw interest in?_ I asked, hoping they would bite.

_And how are you going to do that without revealing your identity?_ Kibito snarled negatively.

_My power is still as pure as it can be you guys, and I have more than enough power to fill that jar thing of theirs'_. _And thanks to Magisterial can I mask my ki so much that my friends won't even be able to tell that it is me. _ I was proud of my great idea.

_Gohan that is indeed a very well thought-out plan and it would work perfectly…_

Yes!

_But…_

But what? I asked agitatedly.

_The body that you are currently in cannot sustain that level of power. You will make it explode…_

My heart sank, that was true. I sighed. _Then I will just have to use my original body._

_Gohan you can't!_ Shin yelled in my mind.

_Sheesh,_ I rubbed my ears. _Don't get your panties in a bunch; I always have a backup plan._ I lifted my backpack in the air and pointed at it_. Back in a moment; don't follow me!_ They both rose their eyebrows questioningly but they left me be. They knew that they could trust me.

I went to the bathroom and locked the door after making sure that I was alone in here. I opened my backpack and got out my magisterial gi and batman cape. I lowered my ki to almost nothing, rivalling the power level of squirrels galloping outside.

I changed back to my body; all this drama for nothing! I focussed on random ki's all around the world and mixed and matched a few together to create a completely different alias. Perfect.

I threw off the jeans and t-shirt I was currently wearing and put on my gi. I stared at myself in the full-length mirror before closing my eyes. I thought back at the memory of the new person I was going to become and made that image swim in my mind. I felt my body growing about three feet in height and the uncomfortable clothes clung to my body like a wet t-shirt.

I scowled at the new image in the mirror. _Gosh this is embarrassing_, I thought as I scrutinised my appearance.

I scurried in my backpack, looking for the capsule my sword rested in. Ah, I opened the small capsule and my trusted weapon popped out effortlessly, as if it weren't concealed in a space thousands of times smaller than its original size. I slung my sword protectively over my shoulder; afraid that I would lose it if I left it in the capsule.

I bind the invisibility cloak around my halo again, making sure that it will not loosen in my upcoming fights.

I put on the cape and fastened it around my waist. I wanted to mask this terrible outfit as much as possible and get my sword out of sight; it was illegal to have a weapon in the tournament. I examined my image in the mirror and saw that I was completely unrecognisable. The only good thing about this horrible outfit was that it concealed my hair and eyes nicely.

I dumped my backpack out of the window; I didn't need it anymore and it was annoying to carry it around with me everywhere.

Someone started to pound on the door frantically. "Open up! I can't hold it anymore! Coffee goes right through me." Someone yelled desperately.

After making sure that nothing was out of place I opened the door. A short man pushed me aside and went running into a stall.

It was one of the tournament officials, I realised when I saw his clothing. Great! His timing could not have been better.

I waited patiently outside for him to finish; I really didn't want to hear him pee; I have developed issues with bathrooms in the last four years... I shivered in disgust as a King Yemma bathroom session came to mind.

I heard a toilet flush and the bathroom door soon opened. I cornered the official and looked him directly in the eyes. Magisterial said that manipulation was much easier this way. _Bob has enquired a serious injury and is unable to compete, he has asked me to take his place and you will let me compete; no questions asked.  
_  
His eyes looked hypnotic and he nodded slowly. I snapped my fingers and he was back to normal.

He shook his head from side to side in confusion and looked up at me with a frown. His eyes lit up with recognition. "You must be the new entry in Bob's place." He acknowledged.

I nodded. "That is me." I said with a smile.

He turned around, facing the direction of the fighting chamber. "Follow me; I will show you where the preliminaries are being held,"

I followed him. "Thank you sir; that would be great." I replied kindly.

He pointed to the long queue. "You must get in line and wait for your turn to punch that machine that will monitor your power level to see you qualify."

I thanked him as he walked away.

I was almost at back of the queue. I sighed as the great Hercule was first to punch the thing. "Good golly! Hercule has a power of 354! That is the highest recorded power in history!" If only they knew… I hope the others will at least try to conceal their real powers.

"He qualifies automatically, being the previous champ and saving the world and all, but you others must have a power level of at least 250 to qualify." He yelled and some people punched the air in frustration, thinking that the bar was set to high for them.

Other people went on the stage with poor attempts. Only about three of the masses qualified.

The line began moving and I saw that Dad and the others were up. It looked like Dad was concentrating severely when he punched the machine; but all the judges' mouths fell open when they saw _'560'_ flash before them.

The staff thought the punch machine was defective so they used about ten minutes to tweak it. They made Dad punch again. '_570' _flashed on the screen this time. They were stumped again but allowed him to pass; otherwise the tournament would never happen.

Every one of my friends got over 500 and that black-haired girl got a _320_; then Vegeta came up. Sigh, I knew he was going to show off, but I didn't expect him to break the machine! And just before my turn! I saw that everybody scowled at him but he shrugged it off and moved on to the fighters chambers.

I waited about another half an hour for them to bring in the back-up machine.

Shin and Kibito advanced next with a respectable _504_ and _489_.

I let out a relieved sigh as my turn finally came up. I concentrated, trying to give a punch of as little power as I could. It resulted in a _440_. I smiled proudly at myself and did a little happy dance while entering into the fighters chambers. I saw an open seat at the back and sat there, minding my own business. I closed my eyes and talked to Shin.

"Good, now that the formalities are over. You can head to the next room where the numbers of the contestant will be drawn." The chubby official with the chart yelled. Everybody rushed through the small door to the next room.

"Hercule, you are up first." The announcer called; I recognised that it was the same commentator that I knew my whole life. He walked to the box and finally pulled a coloured ball out of the box after doing some weird theatrical poses. He was number 12; in one of the final matches against Eighteen. She really wasn't dead… She better not cause any trouble! I will take her out.

"Sir, excuse me but what is your name?" The commentator directed to me.

I cleared my throat; I might as well have fun with this. "I am the one, the only…" My voice trailed off dramatically and I did a few push-ups for effect. I made a summersault in the air as I got up and landed gracefully on my feet; some people gasped. "The Great Saiyaman!" I yelled and got into a final lame pose.

Nearly everybody laughed at me; as I suspected, but I couldn't care less. "T…The Great Saiyaman?" The commentator asked unsure and I nodded with a smile on my features, confirming it.

"Alrighty then, I have heard worse." He stated and directed me to the box.

Everybody gawked at me but I ignored them. I put my hand in the box and scurried around the balls; I randomly picked one and pulled it out slowly. I looked at it first before showing it to officials.

"He is number five!" One of them yelled to the person scribbling names on the chart. Good, I am up in one of the first matches.

_How do you want this to work? _ Kibito asked in my mind; he probably wanted to change the balls telepathically. I didn't hesitate with an answer_. I want one of the minions in my fight; let's get this over with quickly._

He nodded. _It shall be done. Nice job with your disguise by the way; you should have done this from the first place._

I smiled. _Who knew the mighty Kibito could utter a compliment?_ I teased.

He growled. _Don't make me take it back._

I laughed. _Don't worry big guy, your secret is safe with me.  
_  
We turned our attention back to the draw. _I want to fight with your friend Piccolo._ Shin said out of the blue.

_Why? _ I questioned with a frown.

_He seems like a very interesting opponent; I sense the presence of a Kami in is body._ He noted with fascination.

_Yup, I retorted. Have fun._ He smiled at me.

Shin was indeed paired up with Piccolo in the second match. I sneaked a glimpse at Piccolo. For some reason he was frowning at Shin. I concentrated and peeked into his mind for an explanation. I just couldn't help myself.

_Who are these guys?_ An image of Kibito and Shin appeared in his mind and I was surprised that he thought about me too, as Saiyaman. _There is just something fishy here… But I can't put my finger on it. I bet that teenager in the cape is also involved somehow. I don't trust them as far as I can see them. I better keep an eye out for them.  
_  
_He is on to us!_ I yelled at Shin.

_ No need to be so abrupt Gohan,_ he scolded, _and yes I know that already and I am not surprised. He has a Kami in him after all._

My mouth fell open at his cool attitude. _Aren't you worried?_

He shook his head. _Why should I be? Even if he does figure it out, he won't tell anyone._

_How could you be so sure that he won't?_ I asked.

He smiled. _You are right, but that won't affect us at all; he must just not find out about you._

I nodded sadly. _Yes…_

I realised the draw was over and we were all asked to go to the fighters room next to the arena to get ready for our fights. Before I went to the arena I studied the chart. I saw that Krillen was up against Pintar in the first match, followed by Shin and Ma Junior, really Piccolo? I thought you gave that name up a long time ago.

Gomih vs. Yamu, who's that? Was up in the third match followed by is me and Spopovich. Dang, no wonder he is evil! I let out an exasperated laugh when I saw that Dad and Vegeta were up against each other in the seventh match. I wonder how that was going to turn out, I thought sarcastically.

I turned around and walked into the fighters chambers…

(Gomih's POV)

"Go Krillen!" I yelled at my previous bald, friend. "Don't listen to that blob. You can take him down any day of the week!" I encouraged. I was the only one who was cheering out of my group. "Dead much?" I muttered to my 'enthusiastic' palls.

Vegeta rolled his eyes at me. "It is not appropriate for royalty to succumb to the idiotism of the lower class."

I stared at him threatingly. "Say that I am lower class one more time and I will put my foot in your lower class if you catch my drift." I threatened.

"Don't you dare threaten me girl! I am stronger than you…" He retorted.

I scoffed. "You have never faced a Saiyan girl with PMS before, Royal pain, so I suggest that you keep your mouth shut!" I yelled angrily.

"Remember who you are talking to brat." He spat.

I turned to Trunks. "Are you just going to stand there and let your father insult me like that?" I asked and he chuckled. "Sweetie, I love you to death and back, but there is no way I am getting between one of you and my Dad's quarrels, because after you leave, I still have to put up with him…" He defended himself.

I frowned up at him. "Congratulations! You are the boyfriend of the year!" I exclaimed with my hands flying around me. He pecked me on the cheek. "Love you too, but I am going to congratulate Krillen."

My mouth fell open in surprise. "The fight is already over?" I asked dispirited.

He nodded, "Uh yeah, didn't you see it?"

I turned to Vegeta, poking him in the chest. "Thanks to you I didn't see the fight and I promised Krillen that I would watch!"

Vegeta fumed. "Get your paws off of me girl." He breathed with venom in his voice.

"Or what?" I challenged.

He grabbed my finger so quickly that I didn't see the motion and twisted it. I let out an agonised shriek when I felt the bone in my finger crack.

Tears formed involuntarily in my eyes at the excruciating pain. "You will not tempt me ever again." Vegeta said slowly and I nodded.

"Hey let her go!" A boyish voice rung from across the room, Vegeta turned around to the sound without loosening his grip. "What did you say boy?" He asked threatingly.

"That is no way to treat a lady. Let her go!" He said civilized but I got goosebumps at the sheer intensity of his voice.

He walked over to us and Vegeta and my eyes never left his approaching form. It was the weirdo wearing that long green dress over his extremely tight spandex with the geek motorcycle helmet, and he topped the ensemble of with a cape. As if it could get any worse. Lady Gaga dresses more normal than this guy.

All I could see, from the limited vision of his face, was a scowl on his lips. He stopped in front of Vegeta; towering over him greatly. Without losing Vegeta's gaze he grabbed the hand tangled around my finger and untangled it so quickly that I didn't even feel it.

The boy was holding Vegeta's finger behind his back now and cracked it too. "Now you are even." He said happily and resumed his seat on one of the chairs.

All my friends came into the room again. "What's with all the racket?" Krillen asked as they entered. All their mouths fell open when they saw Vegeta trying to land a punch on the boy, but failed.

Saiyaman glimpsed to the side and slumped his shoulders when he saw all my friends staring at him. He rolled his eyes at someone at the back and skidded to the opposing wall when Vegeta finally struck him.

I looked into the direction the boy was staring to earlier and saw that those other two weirdo's Piccolo was worried about stare back at me. I looked away quickly, embarrassed that they caught me staring at them. I agree with Piccolo, something is not right.

The boy did not get up and Trunks ran over to him to check for a pulse.

"Vegeta!" Everyone exclaimed simultaneously. "What did you do that for?" Dad scolded.

Vegeta crossed his arms in front of his chest. "The punk challenged me!" He yelled and sat down.

"Is he alright Trunks?" Dad asked concerned.

Trunks nodded, "Yup, he seems to be fine."

As soon as Trunks was finished speaking the boy's eyes shot open. "You sure can pack a punch dude." Trunks complimented and helped him up.

"Thanks," The boy said bashfully. "That is why I am here."

Trunks smiled. "I apologise for my father's violent behaviour. He isn't usually like that."

The boy shrugged. "No hard feelings; I just can't take it when a man is being disrespectful to a woman." He said.

Trunks eyes shot wide and he rushed to my side. "Did he hurt you?" He asked and examined me.

"Nah, I am fine." I lied.

He took my hands in his and gave it a loving squeeze. I flinched and he looked down at my hand. "Your finger…" He breathed. "Dad!" He yelled angrily at Vegeta.

I grabbed his arm, trying to prohibit him to go to his father, but he shook it off. "Trunks it is fine, I crossed the line." I tried to defend Vegeta.

"No Gomih, he has no right to hurt you!"

Dad stepped in between them. "You can settle this after the tournament." Dad reasoned in a stern voice. Trunks wavered for a moment but agreed. "Fine!" He yelled and came to stand next to me again. He put his hand in his pocket and gave me a sensu bean. "Here, you can't fight with a broken hand." I smiled at him and planted a peck on his cheek; "thanks."

He blushed. "Anytime..."

I broke the bean in half and walked over to Saiyaman. I extended my arm to him and he took the bean.

"What's this for?" He asked and examined the bean.

"It is a sensu bean; eat it. It will restore your energy." I explained and he stared at it in awe.

"Wow, a magic bean…" He exclaimed and I smiled at him as I walked back to Trunks…

"Ma junior and Shin please report to the ring!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Win this one Piccolo!" I patted him on the back and he smiled at me, but I saw that he looked unsure…

"Gomih, why don't you invite that boy to hang here with us?" Dad suggested as Piccolo walked to the ring. "He looks awfully alone there by himself."

I smiled at Dad. "Yeah, he seems like a nice guy; Piccolo is just being paranoid." I turned around with a brilliant smile planted on my face. "Hey Saiyaman!" I yelled, trying to get his attention. He looked up at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Why don't you come and join us! It is much more fun to watch a fight in a group than alone." I said charismatically. A shocked expression rested on his features as he got up and walked over to us. He came to a standstill a few meters behind our group. "Don't be silly," I exclaimed and grabbed his arm to pull him closer. "Here is more than enough space for you here at the front." I said; he now stood between me and my dad.

The commentator was still busy reading the rules to Piccolo and what's his face. Dad tried to fill the gap by talking to Saiyaman. "So what's your name?" Dad asked politely.

"Saiyaman." He replied coolly.

Dad chuckled and shook his head. "No I mean what is your real name; not your stage name?"

He looked flabbergasted by the question and fidgeted with his hands nervously. "Uh, Icurus." He blurted out after a while.

"Wow, what a coincidence!" I exclaimed. "I had a pet dragon named Icurus when I was a kid."

He smiled awkwardly up down me. "No kidding."

He was very curt; like he didn't want us to know anything about him. Maybe Piccolo was right; there is something off about this kid. Or maybe he is just shy… Oh well, I turned my attention to the ring when the bell rang, announcing the match to begin…

(Piccolo's POV)

"Well then, this should be interesting; don't you think Piccolo?" Shin retorted in a monotone. How does he know my name?

"This is the first year Shin has ever participated in this tournament. He is a man of few words, so we know very little about him and that could spell trouble for our other competitor Ma junior, someone who, if I remember correctly, came close to turning this arena into rubble the last time he was here." The commentator said. He leaned in closer to me. "Uh, this time try to leave the stadium intact, okay?" He whispered. I grunted at his statement and faced Shin again.

What is this strange energy I am sensing? We stared at each other for a couple of seconds; that arrogant smile of his never wavered.

"Fighters! Let the second match begin!" A siren signalled that we could start our fight but I didn't move an inch, neither did Shin.

Bullets of sweat poured down my forehead. Why is this guy making me feel so…. So, intimidated?  
I tried to release my ki as I got into a fighting stance, but not a single fragment of my ki was uttered. My eyes shot wide; why can't I focus my power? I grunted as I tried again, but to no avail.

He continued to smile smugly up at me. I clenched my teeth. Why am I holding back like this? I have never met him before today, and yet, there is something about him… He has a peculiar deepness to his power, I realised when I focussed on his ki.

The crowd was starting to get restless when we didn't fight. "Piccolo! Beat this guy to the ground! I know you can do it!" Gomih encouraged from the sidelines.

"The match has already started, so you guys can fight any time now…" The commentator pushed When neither of us still budged he began to panic. "Well folks, looks like we have ourselves an old-fashioned standoff."

I ignored everybody's rants. I have felt this kind of power once before… But where? He chuckled at my bewildered expression. Then I realised it. No… It couldn't be. My mouth fell agape. I…It can't be him… Why would he be here? I thought in shock.

His smile grew more sincere. "I promise you will know soon."

I gasped; he answered a question that was in my mind! He can read my mind!

He smiled again. "But for now, let's enjoy our little match."

I froze… If he is really who I think he is… I can't fight him. "So, are you guys going to fight?" The commentator brought me back to reality. I looked over my shoulder at him. "I am sorry…" I looked at Shin again. "But I can't…"

Shin's expression turned to that of disappointment and shock.

"Does this mean you are withdrawing from the match?" The commentator asked shocked.

"Yes, it does." I replied and walked down the stairs back to the waiting room.

"Well you heard him; Ma Junior has withdrawn from the match!" The commentator announced loudly. "That makes Shin the winner by default!" He declared and some people cheered while others booed.

"Hey Piccolo…" Gomih greeted with disappointment in her voice as I entered the fighters chambers again.

"Is he that strong Piccolo?" Goku asked concerned, he was already in combat mode.

"Yes," I said without looking back at him. "Stronger than you can imagine."

Everybody gasped at my statement. "Please tell me you have a headache or something…" Krillen hoped aloud. "Because I am getting edgy, I am the one who has to go out there and fight him next!" He exclaimed urgently.

I ignored his cowardice cry and uttered my suspicions. "He is the Supreme Kai."

They all wore confused expressions and I saw the red tall one who was always at Shin's side and the weirdly clothed boy shoot me a certain look. They _must_ be in on it.

"You mean like King Kai?" Goku asked uncertain.

"Yes; but much, much stronger. He is the leader of the Kai's." I explained and Gomih shot me an emotional look, but I knew what she was thinking. I nodded at her and her face grew excited. They must have some information about Gohan.

"Then what is he doing here?" Vegeta asked impatiently when I didn't continue explaining.

I shrugged. "But I get the feeling that we are going to find out soon."

"Not wasting any more time, let's get on with the third match." The commentator happily exclaimed. Gomih vs. Yamu!" Everyone cheered at the mention of Gomih's name; she has indeed become a local superhero in Hercule City.

"They really like you, don't they?" Saiyaman asked with interest.

"Yeah, they do." She exclaimed gleefully.

"Smart crowd." The boy complimented.

She smiled up at him. "Thanks."

I still don't trust this kid. There is something off about his ki. As soon as I thought that, he smiled at me; almost like he was proud of me. I returned with a frown and he shook his head with that same smile planted on his face. Suspicious…

"Hey Icurus?"

"Yeah?"

"I want to see you in the second round okay?"

He smiled and saluted her. "Yes Ma'am!"

She laughed at his little gesture and planted a peck on Trunks' cheek before skipping confidently onto the ring.

"Good luck sweetie!" Trunks yelled and blew a kiss at her. Aw young love…. It is disgusting!

"You will win this match girl!" Videl shouted at her best friend and Gomih flashed her a thumbs-up.

"I am sure that most of you know that Gomih is the daughter of the previous champion, before Hercule, Goku. Four years ago she succeeded in getting to the finals in the junior division, only to be defeated by Hercule Satan's daughter, Videl. But it was a close call folks, and since then she has put her best foot forward in helping the brave boys in blue catch evil villains all across the city; the right hand girl of Videl. As for her rival today, Yamu is here to redeem himself, for a loss he suffered in the first round of the previous tournament. He has trained hard and buffed up. I bet he will be a great challenge for one of our city's protectors." The commentator virtually retold the bios of each contestant.

While the two of them were walking to the ring, Shin was heading back towards the waiting room. I frowned when I noticed that he glanced at Yamu the whole time he was walking back with a sorrow expression on his face.

Was this the real reason they were here?

My eyes never left his figure. I was going to figure out why they are here if this is the last thing I do!

I saw Saiyaman's eyes shot wide in horror as his eyes laid upon Gomih's opponent. I had my reservations about that guy too.

He rushed to; who I thought was the supreme kai and whispered urgently into his ear. My sensitive hearing was able to pick up his hushed words. "You have to stop this!" The Kai gave the boy a stern look and didn't say anything back; his lips weren't moving but the boy still replied to his unsaid words; he must be talking with him through his mind. "I don't care!" The boy yelled loud enough for everybody to hear. Vegeta and the others gave the scene a questionable stare but continued with their conversation.

The lavender one's eyes filled with pity. "Please," The boy begged. I actually felt a pang of pity for the boy's sincere tone. "I just don't want her to get hurt…" I frowned, why did the boy have worried feelings for Gomih, someone he just met today… Humans develop feelings so quickly, but not this quickly.

"I can, but will she?" He asked desperately and swung one of his hands toward the ring. He let out a frustrated cry before rushing over to Goku and tugging on his shirt to get his attention.

"Sir, you have to stop the fight. Your daughter is in grave danger." He urgently told him.

Goku frowned at him. "Why do you say that?" He asked curiously.

"That man," he pointed to Yamu, "is a very bad and powerful guy. He is going to hurt her." He stated with urgency.

"I don't know why you are so concerned about my daughter, but she is perfectly capable of defending herself." A trace of offence clung to his voice.

"That may be the case but trust me, that guy will pick her apart!" He continued with his argument.

"As far as we know do you just want to sabotage her fight, so she will forfeit so you will win!" Krillen joined in.

"Fine; if her own family won't help her, I will!" He threw his hands in the air and stomped towards the ring.

Shin gave him a warning look and the red fellow shot his arm out at the door to the ring; blocking it. The boy sighed angrily. "Don't worry, I won't expose us or intervene physically in the battle." Shin nodded at him and resided in a seat near him. All of us followed his movements closely.

The boy travelled to the window and put his finger at the side of head in concentration. He stared intently at something; I followed his gaze curiously and it led me to Yamu. What is he doing?

Yamu suddenly fell on his knees, clutching his head between his hands. He let out a frustrated cry as he fell to the ring, flat on his stomach. Gomih stood with a bewildered frown on her face, not knowing what was going on.

A few seconds passed and Yamu still didn't move. The referee walked up and counted to ten. "Out!" He yelled after his countdown and took Gomih's hand in his own while declaring her the winner of the match.

I looked at the boy from the corner of my eye, and saw that he had a victorious smile on his lips. Did he do that? And if he did, how?

Gomih came rushing into the room, directly into Trunks' awaiting arms. He picked her up effortlessly and spun her a few times around. "How did you do that?" He asked confused when he put her down.

She shrugged. "I honestly don't know. He probably remembered that his mom told him never to hit a girl and had inner turmoil." She pointed to the ring. "See. He is perfectly fine."

With the help of the medics, the strange man got up and angrily stomped out the arena.

"Will Anonymous and Spopovich please report to the stage?" The commentator asked. The boy shot up from his seat and followed his opponent confidently to the ring. The announcer read them the rules and the bell rung; announcing the battle to start…

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_So? What did you think? I actually ended with a kinda cliff-hanger; I don't think I have ever done that before… Yay me :D_

Hahaha what did you think about Saiyaman reappearing? Poor Gohan, to go through all that embarrassment…

See you next week! :D 


	18. Chapter 17: Energy Drain

_Greetings faithful readers! :D_

Thank you mks 12 98, RKF22, unwanted half Saiyan demon, Sirius Potter2, Vienne, G, Rawr, Guest and Vegetaslave87 for reviewing. I am glad you guys liked Chapter 16.

Disclaimer: I sadly don't own DBZ

Hope you love chapter 17 as much as I love it! Anyway, happy reading! 

*****************************************  
CHAPTER 17: Energy Drain  
**  
(Gomih's POV)

He smiled confidently at his opponent. There was something about this guy, I don't think he is evil or something but he is definitely not normal or from our world. His ki was very strange… I concentrated on the signal emitting from his body and frowned. It felt like the signals of birds and cows were embedded in his force; odd...

But he also had this strange depth to his ki, like I couldn't get my mind around of how much it really is.

"Gomih, what is up with this guy?" Videl's worried voice next to me interrupted my speculations.

I shrugged. "What makes you think that there is something wrong with him?" I questioned, wanting to know what her view was.

"He looks like a washed up superhero with that cape and helmet… So why haven't we seen him around here before, he doesn't look _that_ old, quite frankly, he looks around our age, maybe a year younger." She stated.

I nodded absentmindedly. "I know; we will just have to wait and see."

He gave a sideways glace to that red guy and the one Piccolo thought was the Supreme Kai and they nodded supportively back at him. "They are in it together…" I whispered to Videl while pointing subtly at the strange-looking fellows.

She nodded unsurprised. "I figured as much. The weirdo's always stick together." She raised her fist patriotically in the air and I chuckled.

"It's starting." Trunks stated when that muscle head, Spopo-something got into a fighting stance. All of us turned our undying attention to the ring, intrigued to see how this Saiyaman was going to perform. We have never been so quiet in our lives, even Vegeta kept his mouth shut for once.

Saiyaman didn't move; he stayed in his casual stance with his hands hanging loosely from his sides. I frowned, despite his muscular appearance he doesn't look like a hardened fighter.

He turned to his opponent with a smile on his face. "I know what you are here for big guy." He stated loud enough for everybody to hear.

"What does he mean by that?" Krillen aired his thought aloud, but nobody answered, baffled by the situation. Spopovich frowned and turned his head askew at the boy's statement. The boy chuckled without a trace of humour in his voice. That seemed to make Spopovich very mad.

"You know nothing!" He spat angrily. "No one laughs at Spopovich!" He yelled and charged like a raging bull at Saiyaman.

Saiyaman didn't budge. He still assumed his casual position, despite the angry man charging at him. Dad's frown grew deeper. "He is going to be thrown out of the ring if he doesn't defend himself." He stated and everyone, except Piccolo nodded.

He placed his muscular arm out in front of him just before Spopovich hit him and he charged right into it. I was surprised to see that Saiyaman's arm did not bend under that impact; Spopovich might as well have run into a concrete wall. He fell on his back and clutched his sore torso.

"Want to see something cool?" Saiyaman asked enthusiastically and Spopovich replied with a deep grunt. "Well I will take that as a yes…" He said smiling and clenched his fists. I flinched as a sudden cry was released from his mouth; it was so loud that I had to cover my ears.

"He is transforming into something." Trunks stated in shock.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Thank you captain obvious!" I retorted back annoyed by his constant commentating. I am trying to concentrate for goodness sake!

The ground began shaking and Videl fell on her face by the unexpected impact. The audience was screaming in fear at the scene. We all held bewildered expressions on our faces when a golden aura flashed violently around his body. His helmet flew into the air and crashed on the ground. It was so strange; one moment his whole face was exposed, for just a second, and when I blinked he was wearing sunglasses, which looked just like Master Roshi's.

It was clear that he was Saiyan when I laid my eyes on his luscious head of blond hair. "I didn't think there were anymore Saiyans left…" Dad breathed. I didn't either. I thought the pure blood legacy would die out at Dad and Vegeta. It is possible that he is also a half-breed like Trunks and I, but that still means that there must be another full-blooded Saiyan out there, except if Dad or Vegeta is his father…

A few tiles broke free from the ring and floated in the air near his body, after he uttered another ear-splitting scream they disintegrated at his feet.

The crowd gasped in shock at his abrupt change of appearance; a bright golden aura flashed violently around his body and lightning played around his muscles.

"He is in the second transformation of a Super Saiyan." Vegeta breathed out in shock.

"No kidding…" Krillen stated in awe. "The only Super Saiyan two's we know about is Goku, "His voice turned sad, "and Gohan…" His frown deepened. "So who is _this_?"

"Goku, he kind of looks like you from the side, don't you think?" Trunks noticed and we all turned our heads askew and compared the two profiles.

"He does look like him!" Videl exclaimed first. "Do you have any illegitimate children Goku?" Videl directed to my father sternly.

He frantically shook his head. "No, maybe it is one of my brothers. I do seem to have a lot of them." He stated with a frown. He was talking about Raditz and Turles who showed up, claiming to be his siblings a few years ago to destroy him, after they found out he was batting for the good guys.

"He is too young." Vegeta stated as a matter-of-factly. "He doesn't look that much older than harpy junior." I scowled at the nickname he gave me a few years back.

"Piccolo, you have been awfully quiet." I noticed out loud when I looked at my green friend. "What do you make of this?"

He didn't reply he just shook his head with wide eyes, as recognition settled in his face. "It…It's…" He didn't finish his sentence.

Saiyaman was talking again, averting my attention away from Piccolo. "So?" He directed to Spopovich. "Impressed?" He winked at his opponent. "What is the matter big guy, fight me. What are you waiting for, a written invitation?" Saiyaman retorted impatiently when Spopovich didn't make a move.

"It is him Yamu!" Spopovich yelled to the sidelines at his friend. Yamu nodded and took out a strange-looking mechanism out of his backpack. He walked over to the ring. "Let's do this. And remember don't let go of him, understand?"

My eyes widened. "Guys, they are going to kill him!" I nearly shouted.

"We have to stop them." Dad stated heroically.

"You must not try to help him." A soft, yet stern voice rang behind us. Piccolo froze on his spot and Dad and the others spun around to look at Shin.

"Why not?" Dad asked. "I am not going to let someone be killed on my watch." He stated and turned around to head to the arena. Shin let out a cry and shot his hands out in front of him. Dad was instantly rendered immobile.

"What did you do to my dad?" I yelled at him as I saw Dad fall to the floor twitching. I got in a fighting stance, ready to kill the grape if it was needed.

"There is no need to over-react." He stated calmly at me, but that made me even angrier.

"Don't tell me what to do freak." I scowled at him.

"Gomih…" Piccolo warned in a stern voice.

"Saiyaman is the one they are searching for…" Shin's voice trailed off. "But don't worry; they don't want his life, only his energy." He stated and my dad was released from that weird grip. Dad got up on his feet again.

"And what makes me sure that I can trust you?" Dad asked as he brushed himself off, suspicion apparent in his voice.

He didn't answer; he just simply smiled as he focussed on the arena.

"Right." Yamu's voice rang next to us as he pounced. Yamu jumped out from behind us, with that weird thing in his arms and I flinched at his sudden movement. Spopovich already had his arms around Saiyaman, who looked surprisingly calm; as if he knew that that was going to happen. Yamu simply jumped onto the ring and stuck the sharp point of that needle thing in Saiyaman's abdomen.

His eyes widened at that impact and he let out an agonised scream. They laughed menacingly at the boy's yelps.

"We got to help him!" I yelled out frightened for the strange boy's life.

"They are killing him!" Dad yelled at Shin who didn't look worried at all.

"Trust me, he will be fine." He reassured. "He is in no danger."

"I can't take this anymore!" I yelled as the boy's cries grew more agonised, but something caught on my dress. "Piccolo, what the hell? Let me go!" I yelled shocked as I saw my "friend's" hand curled around my clothes. I twisted in his grasp, trying to get loose. It failed dramatically.

"Fine!" I yelled and used my free arms to shred my dress. Thank goodness I decided to wear my good underwear today. I ducked under Piccolo's arms and sprinted towards the ring; determination set in my paces.

I ignored my father's and Trunks' calls and ran gracefully to the ring with my arm retracted back with a fist. Just before I could reach the ring, my limbs shot together and I fell paralyzed to the floor. I tried with all my power to get my muscles to move, but to no avail.

My body suddenly floated up into the air and levitated back to the fighter's quarters. I saw that Shin had his arms outstretched in front of him, just like he had when he attacked Dad. That pest! I saw from the corner of my eyes that Trunks and Videl was also trapped in this technique. He dropped me softly on the floor next to Videl.

"I would appreciate it if you all cooperated." He breathed and I felt the function return to my body. "I will not hesitate to restrain you again."

I scowled at him. "It is called helping your fellow man." I stated with venom, but he ignored me.

"You get all of it Yamu." I heard Spopovich instruct his comrade with a laugh as I got up.

Saiyaman's golden hair suddenly turned back to the original ivory and his body slumped weakly into the arms of the two evil men.

"Aren't you going to do something?!" Videl questioned aloud at all of us. Everybody ignored her and she sighed. "Unbelievable…" She muttered under her breath as sat down, covering her ears. I went to sit next to her and put my arm around her shoulders. I gave it a little squeeze and she smiled comforted up at me.

That needle thing of theirs started to glow so brightly that I had to cover my eyes. "Yes! Now we have all the pure energy we need! Let's go." Spopovich yelled victorious. Yamu nodded at him with a happy sneer on his lips.

The boy's body fell lifeless to the ground as the retracted the needle from his abdomen; he fell face first. The two men laughed. "That was easier than we thought." They snickered together. White aura's surrounded their bodies and they blasted off into the sky leaving the poor boy on the tournament floor. We watched as their speeding figures disappeared into the horizon.

"May we intervene now your highness?" I asked sarcastically at Shin.

"No, all of you stay where you are!" Shin directed to all of us. "There is no need to worry; Kibito will take care of Saiyaman now, he doesn't need your assistance."

"At least tell us what you are going to do with him." Piccolo's voice quivered out of worry. What is up with him? First he was wary about him and now he is worried?

"It is time. I must follow them and see where they are taking his power." He stated in a monotone.

"You are leaving?" Dad asked confused.

He nodded and jumped into the sky as he blasted off into the direction of the two men.

"I am going to follow him." Dad stated and looked at everybody around him. "I want to know what is going on."

Everybody nodded. "We will all go." Trunks spoke for all of us.

"Can't say that I like it, but if you're going, I am going too." Krillen stated and Dad smiled at him. "Oh I know that I am going to regret this." He said under his breath.

"Okay, let's do it!" Dad exclaimed.

Krillen's eyes widened. "Oh uh, I better tell my wife, otherwise she will kill me." He stated frightened and rushed off to the back to Eighteen.

Vegeta growled. "Oh I know what you are doing Kakarot, you are trying to skip out on our next match, aren't you?

"Vegeta can't you see that there is something more important going on here?" He asked kindly with a smile on his lips.

He grabbed Dad by the shirt. "You listen, after the next two matches we are scheduled to fight, and you will fight me." He ordered. "So if you leave, you better make sure that you come back. I only entered this stupid tournament so I could beat you!" He yelled and Dad pried his hand off his shirt.

"Relax Vegeta sheesh. Why don't you come with me?" He suggested and Vegeta grunted.

"We are wasting time here." Piccolo stated impatiently; he already floated in the air.

"Okay," Dad nodded and jumped into the air.

Vegeta soon followed, with Trunks right after him.

"Dell, tell my mother and Bulma what is going on." I instructed Videl and she frowned.

"Sure, but I don't even know what is going on!" She yelled.

I smiled at her ignorance. "I think it might be another 'take over the world' villain." I smiled brilliantly at the thought of another challenge.

"And you are smiling." She said in disbelief.

I chuckled. "Yup, you know us Saiyans. Fighting is in our blood."

She scrutinized my appearance and chuckled. She started to take off her shirt and shorts; she was luckily wearing a tank-top and ski-pants underneath that clothes. She extended it to me. "Here, fighting half-naked is not very strategic."

I laughed and took the clothes. "Maybe they are all men…"

She smiled caringly at me and embraced me in a tight bear-hug. "Kick some butt okay? And don't give my dad the credit this time."

I flashed her, a toothy smile before jumping up into the sky, not wanting to miss the action. My eyes caught Piccolo's figure next to Kibito and Saiyaman's body. I floated down, curious to hear what they were talking about.

"Are you sure you don't know anything about him…" Piccolo said softly but my acute hearing picked up the words.

Kibito nodded solemnly. "I am sorry, no. You should get going if you want to join the Supreme Kai. As soon as I've healed my ally we will follow you guys." Piccolo nodded and blasted off into the sky. He froze when he saw me hovering inches away from the scene. "How much did you hear?" He asked with wide eyes.

"Enough." I stated, hoping that he would spill all the beans.

Piccolo didn't say anything when we blasted off into the direction of the others. "You lie." He stated and I improved my pokerface. "What makes you so sure?"

"If you knew, you would have shown it." He said and my face fell. "You know me to well." He smiled at my statement. We flew for a few moments in silence before he spoke again.

"They don't know anything about Gohan…" He said in a monotone, as if he weren't talking about a dear friend, but about the weather.

"You asked them?" I asked, keeping my composure.

"Yup, but I think they are lying. Remember that sign you saw from Gohan's gi when he visited you five years back?"

I nodded. "What about it?"

"I saw the same symbol on the red one's robe. The sign means that they were trained by the same sensei, so obviously they must know about each other, or have at least heard about him." He stated.

"We can ask them again when we reached Supreme Kai." I suggested.

He nodded. "I was planning to." A moment of silence went by before he spoke again. "I thought for a moment that that Saiyaman was Gohan." He said grimly. "He has the same face-profile of him."

"That can't be Gohan, Piccolo." I reasoned. "Gohan can't age remember? And that guy is in his teens, not eleven years old!"

He smiled sadly. "I know it can't be him. I am just imagining things. You Saiyans all look the same."

I scoffed. "And you Namekians don't?"

He grunted in response and we flew the rest of the way in silence. It didn't take long for us to reach the others.

"Hey there you are." Trunks decreased his speed to fly next to me. "What is wrong?" He asked when he noticed my sorrow expression. I closed my eyes, I don't want to cry now, and shook my head slowly. He nodded, not pestering me for more information.

"Good, all of you are here." Shin noticed.

"Are you finally going to tell us what is going on?" Vegeta snapped.

"Yes, thank you for coming." He directed to all of us. "Without your help, we might not be able to defeat them."

Dad's eyes widened. "You need us, to defeat those two?" He asked baffled; they weren't that strong.

"No, it is not Spopovich and Yamu that concerns me. It is the wizard controlling them."

Piccolo gasped. "A wizard?"

Shin smiled. "Yes. Long ago when the human race was still in its infancy here on earth, a powerful wizard from the distant edge of the universe, named Bibidi, first appeared." We all listened with interest at his telling, even Vegeta. "With him, he brought a terrible monster, his own creation, whose only purpose was to destroy." The Kai frowned. "The name of that monster was Majin Buu."

"Buu huh… So what did this guy do?" Dad asked curiously.

"Majin Buu had no feelings or conscience." He started explaining. "He was designed as an instrument of fear and terror. His single desire was to eliminate all living things and he was very good at it."

Vegeta let out a snicker and Shin shot him a glare. "With Majin Buu at his control, Bibidi set about the systematic destruction of all life in the universe." He paused sadly. "Hundreds of planets were reduced to rubble and entire galaxies were wiped out from existence. No force could withstand his evil power."

Vegeta snickered again, "This Majin Buu sounds like he would have made a decent Saiyan." He commented.

Shin scowled at him. "No you are wrong Vegeta. There were five Grand Kais at that time. Each one a thousand times stronger than the one you call Frieza. When they fought Buu, only two survived." Vegeta was rendered speechless. "He would have wiped out your entire Saiyan race with a breath; just like so many others…"

"Whoa, not good." My dad exclaimed.

Shin nodded. "In time Majin Buu became so powerful that even Bibidi had difficulty controlling him. Whenever he needed to rest, Bibidi would cast a spell on Buu, sealing him in a ball, leaving his powers dormant until the counter spell was evoked. Bibidi also used this spell to teleport Buu from planet to planet. The ball was then brought here, earth being the Majin's next target. Obviously this action was prevented, but the ball containing Majin Buu is still here on earth. Yes, I as Supreme Kai could have destroyed him, but I chose to leave him hidden."

My face twisted in confusion. "I don't get it, why didn't you destroy him when you had the chance?" Trunks asked the question on all of our minds.

"Because Majin Buu is no threat as long as he is confided in that ball. And until now we thought that Bibidi was the only one who could release him, but we were horribly mistaken. Bibidi had a son. He is here on earth."

"Huh?" My dad exclaimed in shock.

"Bibidi named his son Babidi and at any cost we must stop him." He said louder.

"But what is he going to do?" Dad asked.

"He intends to continue his father's work; he is going to release Majin Buu."

"So it is obvious that you were able to defeat this wizard Bibidi before he could release Majin Buu on the earth. But you didn't destroy Majin Buu, instead you chose him to stay _here_ in dormant." Piccolo accused.

"That's right," Shin acknowledged. "We thought it best that way. But if Babidi is not stopped Buu will live again."

"So I guess Bibidi's son is controlling the guys from the tournament?" Dad guessed.

"Yes, and as often the case in this world, the son is as evil as the father."

"Great, why does that not surprise me?" Krillen asked.

"It is simple then, all we have to do is stop Babidi from awakening Majin Buu right?" I asked.

"Correct, but I am afraid that it isn't going to be as easy as you make it sound. Babidi's abilities as a wizard should not be underestimated."

"Wow, sounds like this guy is pretty strong." Dad admired and I could see Piccolo roll his eyes next to me.

"Babidi's strength lies in his magic, physically he isn't very strong, nor was his father, but a wizard needn't be strong. Instead his magic enables him to harness the evil that exists inside hearts of people like Yamu and Spopovich and thereby control their actions. Imagine what would happen if someone truly powerful came under his spell." He panicked.

"We can kill that Babidi easily then." Krillen stated enthusiastically.

"We will do no such thing, at first." Shin scolded.

"But I thought we are going to kill Babidi before he awakens Buu." I contradicted confused.

"That would have been the plan over seven years ago, but not now. I have the upmost confident in one of my allies to destroy Buu without even blinking an eye." He stated with pride.

Everyone except me and Piccolo gasped. We knew he was talking about Gohan. Shin looked back at me with a smile, clearly confirming my theory. I smiled to myself; I am going to see my brother again!

"But you said that Buu is millions of times stronger than Frieza and stronger than us…" Dad's voice trailed off.

Shin just smiled. "Exactly…"

(Gohan's POV)

I drifted through a valley entirely made of hamburgers and marshmallows. I fell to the velvet grass and started eating it like a cow… "Moooo!" I howled at the tastiness of the sweet grass… A sudden burn on my cheek startled me and I woke up with a start. My vision was blurry for a moment and I focussed a while on a big red blur for it to register as Kibito.

He waved his hand violently in front of my face. "How many fingers am I holding up?" His voice bellowed.

"Uh, twelve?" I asked unsure; puzzled by his magnitude of fingers.

"Oh goodness." He exclaimed and put my arm around his shoulder and flew slowly with me away from the tournament ring. The screaming crowd snapped me out of my state and I was on high alert.

"Where are they?" I asked concerned and took my arm from Kibito's shoulder.

He frowned at me confused. "Are you alright now?" He asked puzzled, yet concerned.

I returned the frown. "What do you mean?"

"You were just out cold a few seconds ago and you acted so out of it when you came to." He explained. "You took strangely long to recover from_ that_ drain Gohan. And for a moment I could swear you were possessed. You even uttered the mating sound of a cow…" He explained worriedly.

I blushed. "Yeah, they took a little more energy than I expected." I sighed.

Kibito scoffed. "I know; I had to restore it! Took me forever, I'll have you know."

I smiled gratefully up at him. "Thank you for saving my life." A sudden nauseated feeling built up in my stomach. "Uh oh…" I breathed before hurling on Kibito.

I wiped my mouth when I was done. Ugh, what is wrong with me? I looked with my puppy-dog eyes at Kibito; damage control… But surprisingly he wore the same expression he always wore. "This was my good robe…" He sighed unconcerned, like I did not just hoist my warm unprocessed foods at him.

"Let's get going, I don't want them to get there without us." He retorted after taking a quick dip in a nearby river. I nodded and we flew off quickly in the direction of Shin's ki.

I relished in the beauty that was earth as we followed a few miles behind Shin. I closed my eyes and breathed in the fresh mountain air. I let out a happy sigh. This is my home.

"Piccolo and Gomih are pestering for information about you." Kibito stated out of the blue. I froze and stared at him wide eyed. "And you just think to mention this now?!" I yelled at him.

"You seemed to enjoy yourself; I didn't want to spoil it for you." He said in a monotone.

I scoffed. "Thank you for _not_ ruining my moment!" I yelled sarcastically.

A small smile spread across his lips. "So what am I going to do now?" I asked him.

He shrugged. "The choice is up to you, just remember that you can't stay here forever, you are going to have to leave, breaking their hearts."

I frowned at him. "Thank you for sparing my feelings."

"You better make up your mind quickly; we are almost there." He urged.

I sighed. "I will stay in this Saiyaman alias; I think it is better if they don't know that I am here." I decided begrudgingly.

Kibito nodded, approving my choice. "Wise decision."

"I think it best if you make yourself invisible for the time being." Kibito suggested. "It will make it easier for you _not_ to blow your cover and prevent them to ask questions about your life, which may expose you. They already know you are Saiyan after all; they will want to fish for more information."

"Yup, they are nosy…" I retorted and untangled the cloak of invisibility from my halo and threw it over my whole body. "Let's turn up the pace." I suggested and we reached Shin and the others in a few seconds.

"Hey Kibito." Shin greeted without looking back. He nodded at his master.

"Where's Saiyaman?" Gomih asked Kibito, and I cringed.

"I don't know." He retorted curtly and Gomih looked disappointed.

_Gohan are you okay?_ Shin asked concerned.

_Yup. Why wouldn't I be?_

He frowned. _Kibito filled me in on the whole ordeal_; i_t is just that you took a long time to recover from that energy drain. How much energy did they take?_

_All the power in my second state and about half of the power in my third transformation._ I declared without hesitation.

He gasped in shock. _I didn't realise they would take so much._

_I agree. I didn't think that draining mechanism of them would be able to locate and drain my hidden powers. So now if Buu is restored he would be as strong as a SS3 me?_ I asked and he nodded. _Yes, but you are more than capable of handling that._ He stated surely.

I smiled. _Thank you Shin._

"We are here." He declared aloud when we flew between some isolated mountains. We slowed down our fast pace when we saw Yamu and Spopovich in front of us. They descended to the ground and we hid ourselves behind some cliffs on a nearby mountain. A little dome-like house with a giant italic _'m',_ like the one on the foreheads of his minions, peeked out of the huge clearing.

Spopovich knocked on the door and a few seconds later it opened and an alien who looked like a robot, also with an '_m'_ on his broad forehead, walked out.

"Everyone suppress your energy; we don't want them to know we are here." Shin whispered. Everyone lowered their ki's as he instructed. They all peeked over the cliff, trying to get a better look. I smiled, glad that I didn't have to hide and sat on top of the mountain like a badass, with a great view.

"Is that Babidi?" Dad asked softly and pointed at the robot-looking alien.

"No it is not." Kibito answered. "It is one of his minions."

"Hey, look. It looks like the ground around that house has been disturbed recently, like it has been dug up or something." My sister noted.

I frowned as I saw that she was right. Kibito hit his fist against the rock. "It is all so obvious now." He said agitatedly. "That's why we couldn't find his spaceship when we were flying over; he buried the whole thing underground."

Shin frowned. "And that means that there is a chance that Babidi knows that Kibito and I have followed him to earth, otherwise there would be no reason for him to hide his ship." He panicked.

"I say we attack them head-on now; the more time we stay here the more time we give them to resurrect Majin Buu." Piccolo strategized.

"No." Shin stated simply. "We will wait here. They will resurrect Buu outside, not wanting to destroy their ship. I say we bide our time until the right opportunity presents itself."

I let my eyes wander around the barren landscape, bored with their strategic babbles, and was surprised to see a big house surrounded by green grass so close, no farther than half a mile, to Babidi's spaceship. My mouth fell open as I saw a young farmer and his wife and child lay motionless on the grass. A gun rested next to the man's body. I clenched my teeth in rage. He killed innocent people for that stupid Buu.

I took a few deep breaths to calm myself, otherwise I would have charged at the ship this instant.

"Someone's coming out." Piccolo exclaimed and I gazed back to the ship. I felt one very powerful ki and one pathetic one moving out of the ship.

My eyes widened as I recognised the origin of the strong ki. I have encountered it once before. _Shin!_ I yelled telepathically at him.

_What?  
_  
_You feel that strong ki? That is Dabura!_

His eyes widened at my statement. "The Demon King…" He breathed in shock.

A small disgusting bug-like creature emerged with Dabura right behind him. The two minions bowed down to the wizard and presented the jar with the energy to him.

"That cursed wizard, he has even managed to ensnare the King of the Demons in his army." Kibito exclaimed frightened.

"Which one, which one is Dabura?" Dad asked Shin.

"The tall one." He stated without hesitation.

"Is he strong?" He asked curiously. Really Dad? You can sense energy! I rolled my eyes at my dad and I saw that Piccolo and Gomih did the same.

"Of course he's strong. He is the king of the demon world for crying out loud." Kibito retorted.

"Wait a second." Trunks interjected. "What is this Demon world?"

"It is a shadow realm that exists on the other side of this one; like two sides of the same coin. One of you may be the strongest in this world, but in his dark demon world, Dabura is the strongest by far." Shin explained.

"Guys, I am beginning to feel a little outclassed here." Krillen was panic-stricken. "Uhh.. I..I w.. will still h… help you if you need me… but what if I just take the little guy?"

"So the little guy, that's the feared Babidi?" Gomih asked in disbelief.

"Yes it is, and he is the most dangerous of them all. Remember it is not his size you should concern yourself with, it's his magic. If he is able to keep a being as Dabura under his control, just think about the horror he could inflict on this world."

"So if this Dabura is _that_ strong and Babidi has him, what is going to keep us from falling under his spell?" Piccolo asked.

"A wizard seeks out the evil desires inside a person's heart, once discovered he manipulates them, enhances them and ultimately uses them to control. This is how Dabura was captured. Once Babidi infiltrates a person's heart, his influence is complete, all but a trace of evil is needed to bring someone under his power. Only those pure of heart and free of evil desires like us, have a chance to fight him off successfully." Kibito explained.

"Well that works for most of us, but what about Piccolo, he hasn't always been one of the good guys you know." Krillen speculated.

"This is not the time!" Piccolo yelled into Krillen's ear.

"Be quiet, I am trying to listen." Kibito scolded.

"So boys, what have you brought me?" Babidi asked in a raspy old voice.

"For you master." Yamu said and gave the needle-mechanism to Babidi. I stroked my side when I saw that thing again. Damn, it could inflict pain!

"Hmmm, so this has the energy stored inside?" He asked.

"Yes it does sir." Yamu said with a smile.

Babidi snickered. "You have done well; you are one step closer to getting a promotion."

Spopovich laughed bashfully. "When you are as strong as us this kinda job is like taking baby from a candy." I frowned at his primitive behaviour. That Babidi's spell must be really powerful.

"It is such a shame your business with me is finished." Babidi retorted without a hint of sadness in his voice. "I am afraid I have no more use for you." He cackled and stared Spopovich. His eyes became red and a few seconds later Spopovich became green, then blue and then finally a deep red. He grew five times in size and his eyes bulged out of his skull while blood gushed out of his nose. A few seconds later he exploded.

My mouth hung open in shock. I didn't expect him to do that. The poor Yamu was so frightened he blasted off into the sky in an attempt to get away from Babidi, but to no avail. He had exactly the same fate as his comrade.

"What kind of people kills their own partners?" Trunks asked in shock.

"That is just the cruel game Babidi plays. He seeks out just the most powerful fighters, he uses his magic to bring them under his complete control and when he has no more use for them, he disposes of them like they are diseased animals. If he frees Majin Buu, he will wipe out all life on earth just as he destroyed Spopovich and Yamu; that is Babidi's evil wish." Kibito went on a rant.

Gomih looked up at Trunks with big frightened eyes. He smiled weakly down at her and put his arm protectively around her waist, pulling her up to his chest. A pang of jealousy shot through my bones. I wished so badly that I could comfort her and tell her that everything is going to be okay..

"Oh there is something else…" Babidi's scratchy voice trailed off, very softly, if it weren't for the ki-manipulation technique, I wouldn't have heard their conversation.

"Yes my lord?" The former demon king asked.

He looked directly at the cliff where we hid. "It would seem that we have some visitors. Yamu and Spopovich were a little careless in their escape I'm afraid."

Dabura smiled challenged.

"Above that cliff you will find Supreme Kai and several others…" Babidi declared.

My eyes widened. No… They discovered us!

I heightened my senses to hear their conversation better. I snuck a glimpse at Piccolo and Shin; it didn't seem like they heard what the two were talking about.

Dabura snickered. "Those fools think that they are well hidden. Eight in all, each of them strong; we cannot use the power of Supreme Kai and Kibito, but three of the others possess enormous energy as well. It will go along well in reviving Majin Buu." He schemed.

"In those three alone we will find more than enough energy to suit our purpose oh my how marvellous!" He laughed out of delight. I sneered at his evil ways. "I never imagined that we would accomplish our goal so quickly."

"Let's lure those three into the ship where we can absorb their energy. That would be the simplest course of action don't you think?" He suggested at his devilish minion. I stood up, ready to pounce if one of those vile creatures dared to come near my friends.

"Yes, but the Supreme Kai will surely try and prevent it." He smiled broadly, revealing his sharp teeth.

"Oh I think we can manage getting around that little problem." Babidi stated arrogantly. "Dispose of the weak ones and hurry back to the ship. The others will come after you in rage." Babidi plotted.

I scoffed. Not on my watch ugly wrinkled old grasshopper!

"Very nice," Dabura complimented. "In a moment you will have them."

Babidi smiled up at his tall minion. "Good, good. But spare the Supreme Kai, for now… For what he did to my father I will take my sweet time on his destruction." He sneered the words.

"At your request master," Dabura smiled sinisterly. "I will leave him for your pleasure." Ugh, these people sicken me.

"What are they saying? I can't hear them." Piccolo asked frustrated and Shin nodded, equally frustrated. "Looks like they are all going into the ship now; we can almost go ambush them." He declared strategically.

Babidi turned to the demon. "Shall we get to work then?"

"Certainly." He gave Babidi a little bow before he entered the ship again with his other robot-like minion. Dabura was the only one left outside now. He was probably going to strike any moment now, but I was ready.

_Hey Shin, I overheard the whole thing. Dabura is going to attack you now._ Shin's eyes widened. _Don't worry,_ I put him to ease. _His power level is the equivalent of me in the Cell games. I am sure Dad is way stronger than that by now, and if he isn't, the others can help for an easy defeat._

_And you? You are probably going in after the wizar?_ He questioned my motives.

I smiled. _Yup, you know me very well Shin; I am going to monitor the Buu situation, to make sure they don't revive him._

Shin nodded approvingly. _I must just warn you, use your ki to a minimum in Babidi's ship, if you release just a fragment of it, it will be absorbed and sent directly to Buu's revival. We don't want him stronger than he already is…_

I nodded. _Noted._

"Hey look! Why is Dabura just standing outside there by himself?" Dad wondered aloud.

"He's going to attack us now. Brace yourselves." Shin ordered and got in a fighting stance.

Dabura turned his head in the direction of the cliff. "Now, let's begin." He said under his breath and clenched his fist. I small circle of dust spun around his body as he quickly unleashed his powers. He smiled arrogantly up at the cliff my friends resided on.

"He knows we are here!" Vegeta nearly shouted and everybody gasped at his words. As soon as Vegeta's words were uttered he flew up with a magnificent speed up to my friends, damn they aren't going to see him coming! I panicked.

I shot my open palm to my friends and made a shield around them. Dabura stopped right in front of the stunned Kibito with his open palm near his face. He charged a blast and aimed it at Kibito, but instead of connecting with my red friend, the blast bounced back, up into the demon's unsuspecting face, thanks to my shield.

_Why aren't they powering up?_ I yelled in urgency at Shin. _He's down; you won't get another chance like this!  
_  
Shin repeated the words to the others and they were soon in full power. _I am letting go of the shield. _ I declared and Shin nodded.

_Good luck…_ I muttered and flew into the spaceship, but I still kept close tabs on the fight with Dabura, ready to jump in when needed.

I rendered my ki untraceable as I entered the ship. I examined my surroundings. This really can't be all there is to the ship, I wondered... There must be a secret compartment somewhere.

My eyes froze on the blueprint of the ship, on the opposing wall. "Ah, I knew it!" I exclaimed happily as I saw that the ship had five levels. I took the poster off the wall to examine it more closely. I saw that a tube thing ran through the entire ship right in the middle.

I scrutinised the floor, trying to find the door to this tube. A round circle print stood isolated in the centre of the floor. I dropped the poster on the ground and walked over to it. As soon as my foot connected with the purple shape, I was hurled downwards very quickly.

I uttered a silent scream at the sudden pull, so strong that it made my cloak of invisibility fly off my body, but it was soon over. I halted abruptly on the second floor. There were tons of cameras on the ceiling pointed directly at me.

I smiled at them and waved friendly. Who knew that these villains were so technologically advanced?

"Where are the others?" A shrill little voice screeched unhappily. I recognised it as Babidi's voice.

"I am alone." I stated.

He sighed. "He doesn't have any power." He said to someone else, not realizing he is still talking in the microphone, but that person scoffed. "He does, let him through."

A door suddenly opened to my left. "Go through that door if you want to survive." He ordered.

I shook my head slowly and chuckled. "I am not going to do what you say." I said in a monotone and heard the creature gasp in shock.

"Then you will suffer the consequences." He threatened.

I shrugged. "Bring it on." I snapped my fingers and stretched. After a few minutes I frowned up at the camera. "Where is this 'consequences' you spoke of?" I asked in a bored tone.

"On his way!" He retorted angrily. "Pui Pui!" He yelled over the intercom impatiently.

While I was waiting I decided to see how the fight was going. I closed my eyes and slipped into Dad's mind. Through his eyes I saw that nobody but Vegeta fought Dabura. I frowned angrily. Why aren't they working together? Vegeta must be hogging the battle again, figures.

I returned to my body just to see that alien-like minion walk through the door. Babidi's cackle filled the room. "This is stage one, warrior. There are four stages in this ship and if you want to get to the level where Majin Buu is at, you will fight."

I smiled up at the camera and bowed. "Whatever you say little grasshopper."

He ignored my statement with effort and I returned my attention to, uh pee-pee? O_o

"So Pee-pee…"

A faint blush formed on his cheeks. "It is Pui-Pui!" He yelled defensively with a little tantrum stomp.

"Oh, Pui-Pui, I have to fight you to get to the second round?" I asked.

He nodded. "Correct, but you won't succeed; I am the strongest warrior on planet Kaznar." He boasted.

"Good for you." I said uninterested while he got in a fighting stance. Why do some villains feel that it is necessary for them to declare their whole bio's before a fight?

I sighed, remembering that I couldn't use my ki to destroy him. I sped towards him so fast, that he didn't even blink and snapped his neck. I cringed at the sound of the bone snap.

I shook the feeling of dread off I always feel after a kill and focussed on the camera. "Next!" I yelled arrogantly.

The circle on the floor opened and I jumped down it. The second floor looked exactly like the first one. A door opened to the right and I decided to go through it this time, wanting to spare some time.

The room I walked into was covered in slime. I lifted my foot up in disgust when I stepped in some.  
"Welcome…" An old withered voice coughed. I looked up and saw a fat Blubbernaught sit on a huge chair at the front of the room.

I smiled when I saw its familiar figure. I have fought with a Blubbernaught before, I think about two years back. They were ki-eaters and there was a specific way to kill one, without powering up so they could steal you ki.

I spared him the 'heroic', 'You won't defeat me!' speech and fazed right above him. I thrust my hand in its head and grasped his life-force ball in my hand. It was shining in an array of colours. I smiled grimly as I crushed the ball under my fist. It shattered and scattered down to the floor. The blob slowly turned transparent before fading away completely.

I walked back to the lobby and I heard Babidi complain loudly over the speakers. "He isn't using any ki!" He said to someone.

That person snickered. "We will see about that." He stated.

Babidi laughed again. "Brilliant!" He exclaimed.

I cleared my throat, trying to get their attention.

"Oh yes," Babidi said a little embarrassed. "Playtime is over child," He stated with a snicker.

I frowned. "What does that mean?" I asked confused and he chuckled.

"You may think that you have outsmarted me, but that is not the case anymore." He stated mysteriously.

"Why don't you focus on the ongoing battle outside?" He clued me in.

My eyes widened in horror as I felt a massive ki near my friends and Krillen and Piccolo's ki slowly vanish.

"No!" I yelled and tried to use instantaneous movement to get to them, but for some reason, it didn't work.

Babidi snickered. "There is no way you can get out of here…" He exclaimed gleefully. "I am going to watch…" He stated and disappeared.

I fell dispirited to my knees. "NOOOOOOO!" I yelled and started pounding on the walls. They started to dent in, to my surprise and I smiled. "Can't get out of here my ass!" I yelled and charged to the maximum in my normal state. I sighed. "Sorry Shin," I apologised, "but there is no way I am letting them be killed. Even if that means that I give Buu enough energy to be revived."

I yelled as I powered up to my first Saiyan transformation. I clenched my teeth as formed ki around my body. The whole ship exploded and I flew out like a phoenix out of the debris. Everyone, even my dad, lay on the ground unconscious and Piccolo and Krillen were statues. I frowned at the confusing scene.

Dabura was laughing in the sky like a maniac, when he saw my puzzled expression.

I ignored him and rushed to the caped warrior, currently beating Gomih to a pulp. I fazed to him and punched him with all my might through his face. He staggered into a nearby canyon, making it collapse on top of him. I caught Gomih's falling figure, before she could hit the ground, and walked slowly with her safely in my arms to the location the others were laying.

I felt a strong blast heading towards me. I jumped up into the air, with Gomih still in my arms and kicked the blast back effortlessly with my left foot, to its origin. It exploded and a thick smog-cloud surrounded the area.

I reached the place all my friends were laying and put Gomih softly down next to Dad. I planted a peck on her cheek. "I promise I won't let anything happen to you." I whispered in her ear.

I turned around menacingly to my opponent who was flying with an outstretched foot to me. I turned to the side, missing the impact and grabbed his leg. I threw him to the ground and he grunted when he landed in an unnatural position with his leg twisted.

He brushed himself off as he got up. I saw the familiar orange shine of eyes stare back at me when he got up. I wasn't surprised...

****************************

_*suspenseful voice* Guess who is back…_

Hahahahaha, now you have to wait another week to read about the confrontation. Buahaha, it's so fun being evil! :D

What did you think?

Anyhoo, keep an eye out for the chapter 18 next week! Hope the suspense doesn't kill you, and if it does, I don't mind having ghosts for readers. XD  
See ya later alligators! 


	19. Chapter 18: Old Enemies

_**Hey guys! You miss me? I sure missed you! Congrats, you survived another week… Or did you? o_O Oh well, welcome to all the new ghost-readers who didn't survive the week of suspense! *waves happily***_

_**IOftenSmileWhenImDyingInside **__: Hahaha; I just had to put a weird awkward moment in, between Gohan and Gomih! Don't worry, there will be loads more where that came from! :D lol…_

_**AnimeLuver2323:**__Hahaha! I feel so flattered! Every day you say? (Ps. Seems like you have excellent taste in fanfic's ;D) Don't worry, today is your lucky day! The long wait is over! XD_

_**Vegetaslave87**__: haha! Congrats in identifying the mysterious evil dude correctly! Thanks so much for the compliment!_

_**me likey story**__: Hahaha cool name! So glad you liked it! More Gohan and Gomih moments are guaranteed, but no incest… that is just a bit far over my weirdness line! Haha! :D_

_**tony:**__Thank you for concerning yourself about me, but I have a life, and it is pretty good! And beauty is in the eye of the beholder! Thanks for taking time to review!_

_**Rawr**__: At first I didn't understand what you meant by 'rushing', so I read chap 17 again, and saw your point! Hahaha, I will take it calmer! Thanx for the advice!_

_**Sirius Potter2**__: Haha, not quite yet… but soon! I love being evil! Buahahahaha!_

_**mks 12 98: **__Indeed! You are correct! Haha thank you for reviewing!_

_**Unwanted half Saiyan-demon**__: Hahaha I am mean, aren't I? :D lol! I love cliff-hangers! I think I will use lots of them in the future! Bahahaha!_

_**Dp3of5: **__Yes, Gohan SS4 is stronger than Raphael, but Raphael has tons of battle experience that Gohan (sadly) doesn't have… We will see how that plays out… *suspenseful voice*_

_**BloodyDrenith**__: My afrikaanse tjommie van die kaap! :D Dankie vir die review! Hahaha… Sterkte met die eksamen wat maandag begin! *battle cry* ONS SAL MATRIEK SURVIVE!_

_**RKF22:**__Awh! Thank you for reviewing! I am glad to say that your wait is over! : )_

_**Vienne**__: *takes a bow* Thank you, thank you; autographs available after this story is finished (ps. It's still a loooooooong way down the road) I am glad to see that my suspense tactics are working! Yay me :D_

Awww, it was so much fun answering every reviewer from chapter 17! Hope you guys have much to say about chapter 18! Don't hold back on me! Anyway, ENJOY! :D

_****_**  
CHAPTER 18: Old Enemies**

A calm breeze gently swept my hair to the side. The bright happy streaming sun was in contrast with my turbulent mind. Rage was seeping through my body and I clenched my fist as I glimpsed back to the bloody scene of my friends. I forced my angered Saiyan half to stay calm; I wanted to know why he was here before I ripped him to pieces.

"What are you doing here?" I sneered calmly at the destroyer of worlds.

"And you are?" He asked politely while a devious smile played on his lips.

"I am the one asking the questions here." I stated and he chuckled arrogantly. "Do you know who you are talking to boy?" His voice trailed off as he focussed on my face; a frown formed on his brow. "You do seem oddly familiar." He stroked his chin, deep in thought.

My humourless laugh echoed across the valley. "I am offended Raphael; you don't remember me?"

He examined my features more closely. "It can't be…" He stated bewildered. "You are that annoying Saiyan brat, but yet you are full-grown, how?" He questioned and pointed to my halo.

I shrugged. "I don't want to bore you with the details." I stated and sat crossed leg on a nearby rock staring up at him.

Raphael shot me a confused glare. "What are you doing?"

I smiled without a trace of happiness on my lips. "I get the feeling that you are going to tell me an ever-long speech about your evil master plan and how you hate the world blah, blah, so I decided to get comfortable."

He chuckled. "Arrogant as always I see."

I stared at him, encouraging him to tell his tale. He chuckled again before talking. I was surprised to see him sit, also cross-legged, in front of me. "You see my dear boy, I, like every other villain in existence, have a master plan. Most of their goals are to take over the world and corrupt it with their evil power, yadda, yadda, but I don't want to be a sheep." He smiled. "My goal is to destroy all the current inhabitants of the world, keeping only a few chosen species to procreate life again; according to my will. And therefore I shall be the ruler of the universe. No one shall dare to disobey me and all the pests of 'good guys'," He made inverted commas with his fingers, in the air, "will be exterminated. I will have free reign as soon as Magisterial and his loyal followers are dead."

I frowned. "And here I thought that you just wanted revenge."

He snickered. "That was the original plan, but so boring, don't you think? We is the je ne se quois in revenge? So I added a little spice to the plan and voila! Perfection…"

I raised my eyebrow at him. "Oh and how do you think you are going to achieve that?" I asked.

He chuckled at my tone. "Shame on you for not having faith in me; I have had almost five years to perfect my plan, give me some credit." An angry smile spread across his lips. "I would have been done much sooner if you and those baboons didn't destroy my troops. I had to start all over again, but this time I made sure I was under the radar." He smiled lovingly at me. "And to thank you for your contribution, I am going to start with your planet."

I pouted. "We will wipe you out." I stated assuredly, referencing to myself and the magisterial guard.

He laughed. "No you won't." He retorted arrogantly. "I have yet to collect my strongest warrior. If I have him _or _her on my side, I will be unbeatable and your whole magisterial army of protectors will crumble down in defeat."

"So Buu is your strongest warrior?" I questioned; probably the reason he came out here in the first place.

He smiled mysteriously. "Maybe, maybe not." He winked at me. "But trust me; you will not be able to defeat my elite fighter."

"Oh, I get the feeling I will." I retorted self-assured.

He laughed. "Your arrogance never falters."

I smiled. "Yup, I have no reason to be afraid, since our last encounter resulted in you fleeing the scene when the odds were stacked up against you."

His face turned bright red in rage. "You have no idea what you are talking about brat." He spat; his voice shaking out of anger.

I chuckled. "Of course I do, you are a weenie." I said in a high voice.

His jaw tightened and he clenched his fist. I got to my feet and I saw his beady eyes follow my movement.

"So is the weenie going to defend his honour or just sit there like a rotten potato?" I mocked, again in a high voice; he was in front of me in a flash. I stared unfazed, into his angry eyes. I saw his arm heading towards me and I ducked under it, missing the impact. To my surprise a stinging pressure resided on my head. I twisted my head to the side to see better and saw Raphael's hand clenched around a few strands of my hair. He tugged my hair and I instinctively grabbed his arms, trying to lessen the grip. It felt like he was ripping the skin of my head right off!

"Listen to me you worm, no one talks to me like that." He came closer. "No one!" He yelled in my ear and I flinched.

"Yeah, because a true warrior doesn't punch, they pull hair!" I shot back sarcastically and wiggled out of his grip. A look of stunned surprise coloured his features as I spun around and kicked him across his smug face. He fell to the ground landing on all fours.

He slowly stood up while wiping excess blood off the corner of his mouth. I was surprised to see that he was smiling. "Fair enough." He said merrily and fired a blast directly towards me.

My eyes widened at the sudden energy wave. My arms shot instinctively out in front of me, blocking the impact, having no time to catch the wave. It was much stronger than I expected. It carried me across the landscape before exploding when I hit a mountain side.

I fell to the ground with a thud, on my back. My eyes widened as I saw tons of boulders falling towards me. I used my arms as leverage and jumped up, making a summersault. I gracefully landed on the first falling boulder and continued to jump on each approaching rock until I was in the clear.

As soon as I was out of the collapsing mountain, another red beam headed straight toward me. I fell back and the blast shot by above me. I stared at the red glowing beam as it flashed past me. Even though the thing didn't even touch me, its sheer intensity still burned me.

I frantically blew on the flesh near my elbow; it was glowing bright red due to the burns inflicted by the beam.

I shot up as soon as the blast was through, but Raphael was already in my face. I flinched at his sudden approach; I didn't even sense him coming, but that didn't stop me from attacking. I swept his feet from under him and he faltered to the side, making him vulnerable for an attack. I took this chance to attack and caught his fist while he fell. I spun him around with lightning speed and aimed his form to a mountain. I let go and watched as he flew through the mountain and crash-landed on his back at the other side of the riser.

I took this chance to release my energy and immediately powered up to my second Super Saiyan state; random pieces of debris scattered in every imaginable direction from my body as I transformed. Goosebumps formed on my body as the power shot through my body. I smiled as lightning played on my clenched fists. I closed my eyes and teleported to Raphael.

He stood with his arms across his chest, awaiting my arrival. "Took you long enough." He exclaimed bored.

I smiled arrogantly. "I had enough with the warm-up; ready for the real battle?" I challenged, but he laughed. "Indeed, we did never finish our first encounter now, did we?" He got in a fighting stance and I did the same.

"No…" He muttered just before I wanted to attack.

I turned my head askew at him in irritated confusion. "What?" I bellowed.

He smiled deviously. "I don't want to fight you now." He stated and my mouth fell open in surprise.

I chuckled. "Well I am sorry you feel that way soldier, but there is no way out of this. If you think that I will just stand back and let one of the most dangerous and ruthless villains in the universe go, you are horribly mistaken." I let out a yell as I charged some power for a blast. He yawned as he slung it away with one of his fingers.

"I appreciate the compliment, but there is no reason to get all physical." He taunted.

I growled and charged at him and flung a flurry of punches at him, but he dodged every one of them. As I continued with my assaults he caught my fist in his and held it firmly in his hand. I tried to break free from his grip but it was as if my hand was glued to his. He increased the pressure on my hand and I felt some of my bones starting to crack and I cringed.

I let out an agonised cry as he increased the pressure even more. "I am giving you a courtesy boy, if you fight me now, you will die." He stated in a monotone.

"Oh, and you care so much about me." I retorted sarcastically through the pain. I had the sudden urge to bite him and I decided to give in to my primitive Saiyan side; I bit him on his arm. My teeth dug into his flesh and I could actually taste his blood.

Strangely enough, I wasn't repulsed by the vulgar action. I relished in the action and actually licked stray blood trickling from his wound; enjoying the rusty taste of his blood. It made me even thirstier for a fight...

He cried out in horror and pain and let go of my hand abruptly, almost throwing it away. He let out a girlish shriek while staring at his wound. "I have not been vaccinated for Saiyan rabies! Ugh. I have had enough of you!" He yelled. "Babidi!"

Raphael sped angrily towards me and I braced myself for his attack. I block his fist with my arm and swung it to the side. I retracted my foot to get momentum for a strong attack, while he was still open for an attack, but just before my foot could connect with his head, it stopped and I couldn't move it anymore.

A frown paused on my brow. What the..? Raphael stared up at me with a happy sneer on his lips. I used all my might to get my leg to move but it didn't. My whole body didn't register! I was rendered paralyzed all of a sudden.

Raphael's foot connected with my side all of a sudden. I thought that because I couldn't get my body to function that I wouldn't feel pain, but I did and it was amplified. He laughed as his eyes rested upon my pained expression.  
He laughed as he poked me with his stubby finger on my forearm; I was shocked to see a round blue bruise forming instantly on the spot he just poked.

He retracted his foot again, with a amused snicker, and kick me in the stomach, so hard that I should have been sent flying across earth, but I didn't move an inch. I could feel the pain spread through my body, with every blow he assaulted me with, but I couldn't react, it was as if I turned into a statue.

Babidi's magic is probably the culprit…

"You probably wish that you wouldn't have angered me brat." Raphael laughed in between the beatings.

"I… regret nothing!" I spat through the agony.

"Oh yeah wise guy?" He taunted and delivered a demolishing blow to my abdomen. I uttered a silent scream as I felt almost all my ribs crack. I averted back into my base form and Raphael snickered. "Music to my ears…" He breathed as he cracked the last of my ribs that were intact.

I tried to fight Babidi's grip but it was useless. My body fell limp under his razor-sharp fists. I felt dizzy from the loss of blood and the blows to the head and started to drift off into unconsciousness…

(Goku's POV)

I opened my eyes slowly. This usual effortless motion turned almost impossible with my swollen right eye. When I finally managed to open both of my seeing-mechanisms completely, it appeared as the world was spinning.

I clutched my throbbing head and felt a huge bump on the side of my face. Oh that caped warrior beat me to a pulp, I remembered. Dazed I looked around me and saw all the mangled bodies of my friends beside me.

"Gomih?!" I frantically yelled in the ear or my daughter beside me, trying to wake her. I shook her by her shoulders a little and a low moan escaped her mouth. A feeling of relief washed over my body when I saw her kind brown eyes open.

She was abruptly upright in a sitting position, immediately on high alert. "Where is that guy?" She asked and looked around her while she ran her hands up and down her body, examining it for serious injuries. I was glad to see that, other from a few scrapes and bruises she seemed perfect.

"I can sense his ki Dad, he is fighting someone. And whoever that someone is, they aren't winning." Her voice turned worried.

I nodded, "Let's wake the others up so we can help."

She nodded and headed to Trunks still body first. Together we woke everyone up.

Shin woke up with a start and stared wide-eyed in the northern direction, where I sensed Dabura's ki. He looked over to his red comrade with big frightened eyes. "He is in trouble; we have to help him Kibito."

Kibito mimicked a worried expression as he shakily got to his feet, but fell down again. He clutched his left leg. "I can't… My leg…" He breathed in pain and the Supreme Kai nodded sympathetically. "I will go." He stated and spun around and rushed with his bruised body to the fight.

"Is he taking Dabura on by himself?" I asked horrified, remembering that he was quite powerful; and even more dangerous for Shin in his damaged state.

Kibito nodded solemnly. "Help him please." He instructed and I nodded.

"Guys lets go." I instructed my friends. Krillen was hesitant in the beginning but decided to join us.

"Krillen stay here with Kibito." I instructed my dearest friend and he smiled weakly, knowing that he wouldn't last long with an encounter with any of those guys, even with us there.

We all flew in the direction of the three clashing powers, leaving only Kibito and Krillen behind who was too injured to endure another battle.

I ignored the screaming pain in my shoulder as I blasted off with the others.

An expression of shock rested on my features as I perceived the situation. Saiyaman was floating limp in the air while that unidentified caped warrior beat him to a pulp. Dabura was sitting on a loafer on the ground, under the shade of a bright orange umbrella, complete with a cocktail and magazine, while Babidi, next to him, held one of his hands outstretched to Saiyaman.

My eyes widened. He is using some wizard voodoo to restrain Saiyaman!

I rushed to Babidi, wanting to break his withered arm clean off; but Dabura cut me off. "And where do you think you are going?" He asked with an evil smile on his lips.

"Through you!" I yelled and aimed a blast at his stomach. He somehow anticipated my move and threw it back in my face. I flew backwards while clutching my stinging face in agony. Dabura was next to me in an instant and kicked me to the ground. Before I could crash, I shot my arms instinctively in front of my body and caught myself. The impact created a small crater underneath my body.

I quickly turned around and faced Dabura, but was glad to see that Piccolo, Vegeta and Trunks fight him together. I sped up to them and saw with delight that they were actually harming him.

"We got this one Kakarot." Vegeta stated arrogantly. "Go aide that boy." He instructed and I nodded.

I sped to the weirdly dressed boy being beaten up by that caped fiend. I retracted before reaching that vulgar being and punched him in the face. I was shocked to see him not even move a millimetre after my powerful punch.

He stopped his violent thrashing at the boy and turned to me. I sneaked a glance at the boy and cringed. He looked horrible. His left eye was swollen three times its normal size and blue. Blood was dripping from his side and splashed to the ground. His clothes were also torn beyond repair and long parallel fingernail-scrapes coloured his torso. I could see that his shoulder was dislocated and a bone stuck out from his right leg. A deep melancholy feeling settled in my throat when I saw the boy's busted lip twisting into a small smile as he saw me. I got nauseated by the mere sight; I have seen terrible things in my life as a fighter, but never something like this.

"How could you do this to him?" I asked shocked, pointing at Saiyaman.

The caped warrior smiled. "Better question is: how could you have let this happen to him?" He asked, twisting my question around.

An angry scowl paused on my face as I retracted my fist to get momentum and punched that bastard in the stomach. My eyes widened in agony as an unexpected feeling of pain shot through my hand when it connected with his rock-hard abs.

His long slender fingers curled around my fist still planted in his abdomen and gently pulled it away from him. "I don't want to be rude, but I don't want this." He said with a brilliant toothy smile. He let go of my arm and punched me so quickly in the stomach that I didn't even see the motion; I just registered being tossed to the ground by his powerful blow.

"Dad no…" The boy choked out as I fell to the ground.

_Dad..?_I repeated in my mind. Wondering why he would think I am his father… Maybe he is delusional after all that blows to the head…

The evil man laughed. "Oh, that is your father?" He taunted. "Well I'd be damned. You are lot the same, now that you pointed it out." He started punching the boy again. Does the boy really think I am his father? Maybe Videl was right, maybe I do have some illegitimate children. But how?

I fell dazed to the ground. The punch of that man was so strong, that it still vibrated through my body. I shook my head from side to side, trying to shake of the dizzy feeling. Just before I got up, I saw Gomih and Shin tip-toeing to Babidi. I smiled, yes! If they distract him, Saiyaman can be released from that grip and at least be able to defend himself. Good thinking guys!

"Gotcha!" Gomih yelled as her slender arms bind around the fragile body of Babidi. He let out a horrified screech and his arm sank down. Shin extended his arms to the bug and created a peach-coloured box around the wizard. He banged his fists against the box, trying to get out, but the transparent box did not budge.  
Saiyaman's limp body fell from the sky. I sped towards it and caught him before he could collapse onto the concrete-like ground. His eyes were shut; clearly unconscious. I was surprised to see him hold out as long as he did, he can sure handle pain!

I put him gently on the ground before speeding to the caped man; Gomih and Shin were already there.

They tried to land punches and kicks on him, but none connected. He effortlessly turned away from each blow. I charged some power in my fist and charged at him with it. I stopped in front of his face, but fazed away quickly before he could punch _me_. I reappeared above him and flung the blast on his head. The blast did no damage, but it did however blow the cape of his body, exposing his face.

He looked like a normal innocent teenage boy with his medium length light brown hair and innocent face; but the fact that was disturbing and made me gasp was his eyes. His eyes held so much anger and hatred; it is the eyes I would imagine the devil having. They were a magnificent blue with an orange ring around the edge of the pupil and iris. His face held many scars too.

He sighed. "I didn't want you guys to see my face yet, I wanted to surprise you guys with it later…" His voice trailed off. "Oh well, cat's out of the bag." His evil eyes bored into mine. "You are going to pay for that." He said viciously and without leaving my gaze, he grabbed Gomih's arm and pulled her closer to him.

My eyes widened in horror. "No…" I gasped. "Leave her alone…" He smiled gleefully at me while he snapped her back. My eyes widened in revolt at the cracking sound her body made as he cracked it. Her eyes shot wide in agony but she didn't scream; the silence was worse…

He let go of her and I watched stunned as my oldest child's body fell to the ground. She landed at an unnatural angle. Rage filled my body and fuelled my fists. Lighting played around my muscles as I transformed into my second Saiyan form. "You monster…" I muttered with venom in my voice.

I heard Trunks call my daughter's name faintly in the background as I powered up. The destroyer sighed bored. "You Saiyans…" He muttered and kicked me while I was still busy releasing my energy. I felt the bones in my legs crack and I stop transforming; all the power left my body as I fell down. My lifeless body fell close to Saiyaman's still form.

_Is he dead?_I noticed that a halo rested above his head; how could I have missed that before?

"Dabura!" My foe's loud yell made my head throb. The demon king suddenly appeared out of nowhere in front of him.

"You summoned me my lord?" He asked while bowing before his master. I frowned; if Dabura's here, where are Vegeta and the others? I searched for them and located their poor life-forces a few hundred metres away from me. A shocked expression rested on my features. I thought they were winning the battle with him? There is three of them and only one of him after all, for Pete's sake!

"Yes, dispose of this Saiyan trash. I have more important matters to attend to." He ordered.

Dabura bowed out of respect. "As you wish sire."

I felt Raphael and Babidi's ki teleport to the spaceship and then away to another place I couldn't track. They are probably going to revive the Majin at a safer location.

I drifted off into unconsciousness but came to again when Dabura started talking next to me. I weakly opened my eyes and saw the demon king stand triumphantly over Saiyaman.

"So what to do with you…" Dabura mocked as he kicked the boy in the side, making him roll like a mangled ball a few inches to the side. He screamed as the demon's concrete-like foot connected with his mangled ribs.

Dabura stood still, probably waiting for Saiyaman to get up. He slowly rose and got in a sitting position. A dispirited expression coloured his features as he fell back to the ground as soon as he got up.

The demon king laughed at the boy's poor attempt. Everything turned blurry and all sounds echoed softly in the background of my mind. "I have heard a lot about you Gohan." Dabura acknowledged. My eyes widened and my head jolted in the direction of the two. Gohan..? I drifted off into unconsciousness with my son's name bouncing wildly through my mind…

(Gohan's POV)

"Oh?" I blurted out with great effort; it felt like some of my ribs pressed against my lungs, making it difficult to breathe. I flinched with every breath I took. I clutched my side, in hope of making the pain more bearable, but it only made it worse.

He chuckled. "You have made quite a few enemies on the evil side. Does the name Cell ring a bell by any chance?" He taunted.

I grunted at the mention of the name, not able to get my mouth to function.

"He won't shut up about you. You bruised his ego very much." He laughed again, like it was the biggest joke of the year.

I smiled weakly. "Good…" I panted out, almost inaudible.

"He said a very interesting thing about you though." His voice drifted off. "He claimed that you have a hidden power, unimaginably strong, and you release it when you are angered. Especially when your family and friends are put in danger…" His voice drifted off. "I would like to put that to the test; I am eager to see it for myself..."

My eyes widened as I felt his ki teleport away from me and to my friends. I put my cape over my head and with great effort, teleported to my nemesis. I clutched my bleeding side; blood was gushing at an alarming rate out of my wound and dripping to the ground.

"I am surprised you made it this far." Dabura let out an impressed whistle as he saw me. I saw his arm outstretched to where Krillen, Kibito, Shin and Piccolo were laying.

"No…" I whispered with wide eyes.

I summoned al the strength I had left, which sadly was not much, and head-butted the demon in the chest. He doubled over in pain and I took that chance to attack again. Swallowing the pain and letting go of my bloody wound, I punch and kicked the former demon king without stopping till he fell to the ground; a rush of adrenaline fuelled my fists.

I heaved loudly when he fell down. I charged a mini-blast in my left palm and flung it to him before he could get up. The explosion made the ground tremor a bit.

I clenched my fist in frustration as I saw Dabura get on his feet again. I started towards him, but my exhausted feet gave in under me and I collapsed to the ground. I tried to use my arms as leverage to pull myself back up again but Shin stopped me.

He was next to my side in an instant. "Don't move. I will take care of Dabura." He stated heroically and got in a fighting stance.

"Don't…" I breathed but he was already on the defence with Dabura's blows.

Shin put up a decent fight, but I could see that he was getting tired very quickly; Raphael did do a lot of damage to him too in the previous fight.

I clenched my fist in frustration as I saw Shin get beaten by Dabura. If only I had a healing potion or sensu bean… My eyes shot wide as I remembered the half sensu-bean Gomih gave me when Vegeta 'punched' me.

My jittering arm reached in my deep pocket and curled around the magic bean. A brilliant smile spread on my lips as hope settled in my stomach once more. I devoured the bean ravishingly and felt with happiness how some of my power returned to my body.

I noticed that only half the hole in my side was repaired and not all my ribs were healed but I did feel much better. Well enough to take on the demon king.

I teleported to the two warriors; landing in the centre of the two. I blocked one of Dabura's incoming punches with my arm and threw it back with all my might, making Shin stutter backwards.

"Mind if I cut in?" I asked civilized at the Supreme Kai, my eyes never left that of Dabura.

"Are you sure you can handle it?" He asked concerned; his voice held some confusion when he saw that I was better.

I nodded and he floated down to the others' still forms.

I walked slowly towards the demon king and paused right in front of him. We were the same height thanks to my alter ego's taller body. He smiled arrogantly at me, flashing his fangs. "You are something…" He muttered under his breath and started punching me.

I caught every single one of his punches and sent it straight back to him, making him punch himself! I laughed at his comical expression, every time he saw his own fist colliding with his face.

"That's it!" Dabura yelled frustrated and puffed out his cheeks. I frowned at his strange expression. Two huge spit-balls scraped barely past my head and landed on Krillen and Piccolo behind me.

"Oh so you are going to spit now? Real mature!" I exclaimed and spit-balled him. "How do you like it?"

He smiled, barring his sharp vampire teeth.

Krillen's frightened cry jolted my attention behind me. My eyes widened as I saw my friend slowly become a statue. I frantically rushed to his side. "What are you doing?!" I yelled at Dabura, but he just laughed. I tried to brush the rock forming away, but Krillen became silent as the rock consumed the last fragments of his body.

"My spit is lethal," Dabura declared. "As soon as it collides with flesh, it turns to stone." He explained with an amused snicker.

"Oh so you think turning people into stone is funny?" I asked him, annoyance apparent in my voice.

He nodded. "Yup, cracks me up every time."

I growled. "Oh I will crack something alright…" I tried powering up to my third SS state, but as soon as I tried unleashing the power, I felt the bones in my abdomen crack. I grunted in pain and sank down to the ground.

I brushed off the pain. _C'mon Gohan, you have endured worse_… I motivated myself and got up again.

"So tell me Dabura… How can this be reversed?" I pointed to my stoned friends.

He smiled arrogantly. "Simply; if I am dead, it will be reversed and they will turn back to normal."

I sighed. "I give you five seconds to give me another remedy before I kill you." His laugh grew more intense.

"You cannot kill me." He stated arrogantly between the laughs.

"Five…" I started counting down.

His laughs stopped. "I am not intimidated by you, child." He stated seriously.

"Four…" He crossed his arms over his chest. "Three… Two… One…" He smiled confidently down on me. "I am not dead yet."

"Last chance…" I retorted and he kept on smiling. I sighed. "Then I am sorry." I grabbed the Z-sword so quickly out of its sash from my back and sliced the demon in two in one motion. His disbelief pained expression was the last thing I saw before blasting him to oblivion. I felt the ki's of Krillen and Piccolo turn back to normal.

(Goku's POV)

I jolted awake when the screech of the demon king reached my eardrums. I focussed on the ki-signal of Saiyaman to trace their whereabouts; I located them easily and saw that he was not that far away from me.

I frowned at Saiyaman's normal exterior. How did he recover? He was worse of then me just a few seconds ago.

He took off his batman cape, exposing his image, and wiped some blood off from the blade with his cape. He blasted the cape with a small beam after he was done cleaning his sword, making it burn. The ashes of the fabric were carried swiftly away by the summer day breeze.

He slowly flew to my friends' location; they were conveniently all together next to each other in a group.

"Are they still out?" Saiyaman asked in shock and Shin nodded.

He scoffed. "Sheesh, when they are out, they're out." He exclaimed.

I floated up shakily, not able to walk on my broken leg. I headed in the direction of Saiyaman and Shin, who were in a deep conversation, before sudden sets of heavy breathing jolted my attention to the left.

My blood ran cold as I saw my daughter's damaged body twitch between the desert sand. I forgot all about my pain as I rushed to her. I placed my arms gently under her twisted back, and carefully lifted her to the ground. Her whole body was shivering; she was going into shock.

"It's okay baby." I whispered into my little girl's ear as I floated as fast as I could to Shin and the others. "Help!" I choked out and saw Saiyaman's head turn to me. His eyes widened and despite the deep gash in his leg, he ran to us. He reached us in mere seconds and put my left arm around his shoulder, supporting my weight. He took Gomih's body gently from my arms and carried us back.

Shin helped me down when we reached the others and placed me in a sitting position near Piccolo.

"She's still awake." Saiyaman breathed out in shock. His eyes filled with pain as he stared down at my daughter. "She is in so much pain." I saw an unshed tear glistened in his eye as his voice cracked.

Shin put a hand encouragingly on his comrade's shoulder. Shin placed two of his fingers on Gomih's neck and applied some pressure. Her eyes fell shut; she was rendered unconscious.

"Did you take out Dabura?" I coughed out.

Saiyaman flinched at the sudden sound of my voice, but hurried towards me. "Da… I mean Goku." He kneeled down next to me and put his hand on my forehead and examined my wounds. "Are you alright?" He asked concerned.

I smiled wearily up at him. "You look much worse than me." I noted and pointed with a shaky finger to the blood dripping off his side.

He chuckled painfully. "I have had worse." He gushed and helped me with effort to my feet.

"Do you have any more energy left to use instant transmission?" He asked and I frowned. "How do you know about my techniques?"

"Do you?" He repeated, ignoring my previous question.

I nodded. "I have enough for one trip." I declared and a relieved expression galloped on his face.

"Good… Go to Dende." He breathed.

"You know Dende?" I asked shocked that he knew the name of earth's new guardian.

"Shin?" He asked, ignoring my question again, and gave my arm to the Supreme Kai. Shin was supporting my weight now.

The boy heaved heavily before falling unconscious on his face.

"Saiyaman?" I asked worriedly.

"Teleport us to your healer." Shin instructed and we gathered everybody together, so everyone was touching someone; making the teleportation effortless.

I put my fingers on my forehead and searched for Dende's ki. I teleported us to the lookout and Dende and mister Popo frantically rushed to our sides.

"We felt the disturbance." Popo said worriedly.

"I sensed that the Supreme Kai was in your midst." Dende declared while looking Shin up and down.

"Now is not the time." Shin stated and pointed to all the injured.

A slight blush formed on Dende's cheeks. "Of course."

Dende started healing us; beginning with me. He whistled as he perceived my wounds. "Wow Goku, you took quite a beating." He noted and I smiled when I felt all my energy returning to my body. I jumped up gracefully and did a few stretches. "Thank you Dende. I am as good as new." I thanked and he blushed.

I waited for him to heal everybody. They all awoke instantly and gathered around. Dende froze when he stood over Saiyaman's body. "Who is this?" He asked confused and stared at us, searching for an answer.

"He is my comrade." The Supreme Kai stated in a monotone. "He is known as Saiyaman."

Dende nodded. "Any comrade of the Supreme Kai is a friend of mine." He exclaimed patriotically and put his hands on Saiyaman's chest. He stood like this twice as long as it usually takes him to heal him the rest of us.

"Everything alright Dende?" Gomih questioned when she noticed his puzzled expression.

"I can't heal him. My healing powers go right through him." He was baffled.

"Oh of course. You won't be able to heal him, he is dead." Shin remembered and pulled the hoodie of Saiyaman's head, revealing a shining golden halo. Some of my friends gasped.

"He can't stay like this!" Trunks panicked. "He will bleed to death, I mean more deather."

Kibito chuckled. "I will get a healing potion from Magisterial." He directed to Shin and disappeared.

We all stared at Shin, waiting for an explanation. "He will be healed momentarily." He answered after a moment of silence.

"Okay, so what is the 411 on the whole Buu sitch?" Gomih asked out of curiosity.

Shin frowned at Gomih's words. "Excuse me?"

Vegeta grunted. "The harpy wants to know what happened with the Buu situation. These teenage brats have a language of their own."

Shin smiled. "Oh; we will have to wait and see." His voice drifted off.

"Wait and see?" Piccolo yelled. "We almost got slaughtered today and you want us to sit back and wait for them to appear again?"

Shin nodded. "Yes."

Piccolo's eyes held bewilderment. "You are a Kai for goodness sake! You must have a better plan than that."

He shrugged. "Good things come to those who wait."

Piccolo's mouth fell open. "Unbelievable." He muttered under his breath.

"So to the more important matters," Vegeta stated impatiently. "Who was that guy in the cape?"

A scowl settled on the Kai's face. "The destroyer of worlds…" His voice trailed off. "You should be glad to be alive. Raphael doesn't leave many witnesses behind."

"Raphael?" I asked.

"That is probably his name Kakafool." Vegeta exclaimed annoyed. Sheesh, I was just asking a question.

I flinched when the boy started hurling and thrashing violently next to me. Shin kneeled next to and put his cool hand on Saiyaman's head, it actually made a sizzling sound when he touched his burning forehead.

"So what do we do if the obviously very much stronger than us Destroyer of Worlds decides to pop in for another visit?" Gomih asked.

Shin smiled. "You don't have to worry about that." He said assuredly while he looked down at Saiyaman with a proud smile.

"Are you saying that this punk is stronger than Raphael?" Vegeta blurted out in disbelief.

Shin simply nodded. "This guy is the strongest in the universe."

A weak chuckle escaped Saiyaman's mouth; I flinched at the sound, I thought he was out cold!

"Strongest good guy in the universe." He corrected and started coughing uncontrollably.

Shin smiled. "Always so modest… And be quiet, you are wasting your energy." He scolded and Saiyaman smiled. "Yes sir!" He exclaimed wearily and saluted the Supreme Kai with a shaky hand. His eyes fell shut and his breathing became more even as he drifted off into a deep sleep.

Trunks frowned. "Then if you don't mind me asking, how come he was beaten to a pulp by this Raphael so quickly."

"Babidi was involved." Shin growled. "We just have to take care of him then we will be in the clear."

"That won't be easy…" I breathed as I thought back to how easily Babidi controlled Saiyaman, apparently the strongest warrior in the universe.

Shin scowled. "No it won't, but together we will take him out." He stated assuredly and I felt motivated and even eagerness for the villains to return.

Kibito appeared out of nowhere with a vile filled with purple fluids in his hands. "Sorry I took so long." He apologised. "I explained the whole thing to him first." Shin nodded and took the potion from his comrade's hand. He lifted Saiyaman's head and placed it on his lap. He opened his mouth and poured the potion down his throat.

Saiyaman's eyes flashed open and I flinched at the abrupt motion. He gasped as air filled his lungs again and sat upright. He noticeably flinched when he saw all of us so close to him. "Hey guys." He said and waved awkwardly to us.

I extended my arm to him, wanting to help him up. He hesitated momentarily but when he saw my sincere smile, he took it and I helped him up. "Thank you for saving us." I thanked him behalf of all of us.

"Not that we needed saving." Vegeta grunted.

Saiyaman chuckled at Vegeta's statement. "Yeah, you were holding your own very well unconscious on the ground."

Vegeta's face got red and we all laughed at his response. "It was all part of my strategy!" He yelled and Saiyaman's chuckled grew more intense. "Vegeta you haven't changed a bit." He froze as soon as he finished the sentence.

"What, you know me?" Vegeta frowned.

Saiyaman let out a nervous chuckle. "Of course. You are the Prince of all Saiyans, aren't you, your highness?" He bowed out of respect for Vegeta.

Vegeta smiled with his hands across his chest. "Finally the respect I deserve."

"I find it hard to believe that these people, don't show respect for the prince of the most elite race in the world." Saiyaman exclaimed in shock and Vegeta nodded. "I don't understand it also, but as ruler I have to keep my head high, no matter what the low-lives think of me."

Saiyaman nodded. "Just as you say there!" He agreed.

"So where are you from?" I asked the question everyone was curious about.

Saiyaman scratched the top of his head as he looked me in the eyes. "I don't really remember." He confessed after a while. A guilty expression was painted on Saiyaman's face. I frowned at the gesture, is he hiding something?

Saiyaman opened his mouth, wanting to say something else, but Shin interjected him. "We took him in when he was eleven years old, and he has been living with us since." He explained behalf his comrade.

Before we could ask any more questions, a portal appeared out of nowhere and a little dragon clothed in a suit popped out of it.

He looked around frantically with a sorrowful expression. Saiyaman's eyes widened in horror when the dragon started to speak.

"GOHAN? GOHAN? Where are you?!" He yelled while he was looking around. Saiyaman, Shin and Kibito cringed and Saiyaman tackled the little creature to the ground, clasping his mouth shut.

"Did you just say something about Gohan?" Piccolo directed to the little dragon.

Red spread across Saiyaman's face. "What no! What is a Gohan?" He overly played dumb.

"I thought you said you didn't know anything about Gohan?!" Piccolo accused Shin and he was rendered speechless.

"Dammit Draco." I heard Saiyaman curse under his breath.

Gomih turned her big beautiful eyes to Saiyaman. "Do you know anything about Gohan? He is my brother; my twin. Please if you do, tell us." She begged and her voice cracked.

Saiyaman sighed. "Yup, I know him." He stated cheerfully. "We are very close. We might as well have been one person." He declared with a chuckle.

A heavy feeling settled in my throat. "You know where he is?" I choked out and the boy's expression turned to pity.

He forced a smiled. "Yeah, he is doing very well by the way. He always talks about you guys." His voice held a trace of sadness.

"Where is he?!" Piccolo demanded.

The boy closed his eyes for a few seconds before talking again. "That is restricted information sir." He muttered and Piccolo freaked out. He grabbed the boy by his shirt and jolted him around. I had to pry his fingers of his shirt.

"Piccolo calm down." I said slowly. He tore my hand from his and scowled at me. "You know that every time someone tells me to calm down, I get more agitated."

I sighed. "But what will it help to lash out on Saiyaman?" I reasoned. My voice turned solemn. "That still won't bring him back."

A deep frown formed on his brow. "At least I am trying!" He yelled and I flinched. "You are his father and you haven't done a damn thing to get your son back."

Anger welled up in my body at his false accusations. "You know that is not true. I spent the entire year after his death looking for him!" I yelled back. "Every waking moment for 365 days I searched for him! I left no stone unturned; I did everything in my power." I spat.

"And after that?" He questioned. "If you are such a dedicated dad, why did you stop after only a short year?"

"I couldn't bear failing anymore." I stated under my breath with closed eyes. I felt the hot tears starting to well up in my sockets but I forced them back.

Piccolo held a smug smile on his lips. "See? That is the huge difference between you and me; I don't give up, no matter what."

"Piccolo…" Gomih warned.

"It's okay Gomih; Piccolo still hasn't dealt with his grief." I defended the Namekian.

"Don't you dare give me a psycho analysis Goku; I don't want your pity." His voice held magnitudes of hostility.

Saiyaman stepped in between us. "Whoa guys, just relax for a bit okay? I am sure that Gohan wouldn't want you guys to be fighting."

"Don't tell me what to do." He sneered. "You listen to me Saiyaman. You better tell me where he is or else I will architect a world of pain all over your candy ass." He threatened.

"The best I can do is sending him a message." He compromised. "So you want to tell him something?" The boy's voice almost cracked.

"Tell him six years is more than enough. Tell him we want him back…" I pleaded.

I placed my hands in front of my face and sank down to the floor. My body started shaking as I started to sob.

"Gosh, don't cry mister …" Saiyaman's voice cracked and I saw a few stray tears fall from his cheeks as well.

"Shin I can't do this anymore." He declared frustrated.

Shin nodded solemnly.

He walked determined to me. He kneeled next to me and put his hands on my shoulder. "It is alright Dad. I am here." He stated and my mouth fell open as I saw Saiyaman's full-grown exterior transform into the familiar silhouette of my son.

Tears dripped off my face in rivulets as I felt his warm and loving ki and heard his familiar, unique voice. He smiled as he saw my dazzled expression.

"Gohan…?" Several of my friends gasped in unison.

He spun around with a brilliant smile on his face. "Hey guys; did you miss me?…"

_His identity is finally revealed! HORAY!_

*Deep announcer-like voice* What is going to happen next? How will Gohan's family and friends react to his return? Who is Raphael's secret strong warrior, not even Gohan will be able to beat? Find out all the answers in the next episode of Gohan: The untold story!


	20. Chapter 19: Checkmate

_**Greetings fellow earthlings! Another week has passed and we all know what that means… It is time to do laundry… And a new Chapter of the awesome fic: Gohan the untold story is published!**_

Hahaha… I hope you guys are feeling the suspense in the story intensify, because I sure do! My heart pounds wildly like an Africa-drum with every sentence I write! *Pouts* Is that weird?...

_Thank you: Princessofuniverse, mks 12 98, RKF22, unwanted half Saiyan demon, Sirius Potter2, dp3of5, Vienne, Animeluver2323, Rawr, Guest and Vegetaslave87 for reviewing. I love you all!_

*excited cry* Did you guys see that TFS is previewing their new abridged episode: the revenge of cooler on their website! I love them! They are comical geniuses! Can't wait for it to come out! Do you guys like TFS too? Haha I love how they make Piccolo yell "NEEEERD" at Gohan every time he says something smart! XD

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ.

Enjoy! *****

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CHAPTER 19: Checkmate  
  
(Goku's POV)

"Gohan, is that really you…?" I extended my hand to my son's body, but paused just before I could touch him, frightened that he may turn out not to be real.

He took my hand in his own and put it against his chest. "See, I am real!" He exclaimed happily. "I am warm; my heart doesn't beat, but I am here!" A brilliant gleeful smile galloped on his sweet innocent face.

I stared at my hand touching his hard chest; not able to comprehend that I felt the warmness of my son's body under my hand. I wiggled my fingers in his grip and he chuckled. "Hey that tickles!" He exclaimed and I smiled. I broke my hand free from his and wiggled my fingers all along his sides, where I remembered his most tickle spot being.

Tears formed in his eyes from all the laughing and after a while we were both rolling on the ground, laughing our butts off at the mere silliness of the concept: tickle. I stopped tickling when the reality of the situation sank in. My son is here...

My son is _here_!

My face twisted into a chameleon of emotions. I pulled him tightly to my chest and began sobbing. I sobbed on my long-lost son's slender shoulders violently. My whole body shook with my cries; my tears held a mixture of guilt, happiness and agony.

"I am so sorry. I am so sorry." I gasped over his shoulder; directly into his ear. "I shouldn't have made you fight Cell… Piccolo is right, I am the reason you are dead." After six years of denying my emotions, wanting to be strong for Gomih and Chi-chi, all my unaired feelings came bursting to the surface like an angry volcano.

The words I wanted to say so badly for just over half a decade were finally aired. It felt so good not keeping it under the surface anymore. It was literally eating me up inside, devouring my brain and nibbling on my thoughts.

He returned the hug tightly. "Dad I don't blame you. If there is someone to blame for _that_ day it is me." His voice cracked and I felt trickles of warm liquid dripping onto my shoulders. He was crying too.

"If I just did what you asked me to, we would have all been alive. You wouldn't have sacrificed yourself for me and I wouldn't have self-destructed to put an end to Cell. I am a bad son. The last words I ever spoke to my father were death threats."

I was left speechless. How could he even think like that?

I put my hands on his trembling shoulders and pulled him back; wanting to look him right in the eyes.

"Gohan, I have never held you responsible for what happened that horrible day." I said convincingly. "You are my son and I love you, _nothing_ will ever change that."

He smiled through the tears and wiped his eyes off with the back of his hand. "Does that mean I am forgiven?" He asked and I smiled sincerely. "You were never not-forgiven." He threw his arms around my shoulders abruptly and gave me a final hug before getting up.

"You have no idea how long I waited for you to say that." He said and extended his arm towards me. I took it immediately and he pulled me up.

As soon as our little father-son moment was over, everybody flocked around Gohan to greet him; except Vegeta, Piccolo and surprisingly Gomih.

Vegeta stood leaning with his arms crossed against one of the pillars with his eyes closed, not submitting himself to the festivities. Piccolo also hovered at the backsides of the little crowd; probably waiting for everybody to say their say so he can greet his pupil while having his full attention.

I frowned in confusion as I saw Gomih sit cross-legged far from the scene with a death stare on her eyes. She scowled angrily at Gohan. I thought that she would have been first to greet her estranged twin; strange...

I walked over to her but she just raised her hand at me, mimicking a 'stop' sign. I didn't pester her; knowing that if she wanted to talk she would talk. And I was a bit afraid of her temperament; her temper was far worse than her mother's.

"My little buddy is the strongest person in the universe!" I overheard Krillen exclaim and Gohan turned to him with a frown. He raised his hand to Krillen and held a few strands of the once bold man's hair between his fingers.

"What's with the mop Krillen?!" He asked bewildered and Krillen chuckled. "Everybody always says they will clean the floors with me, so I decided to make it possible for them." He joked and Gohan chuckled.

"Yeah, that is so considerate of you. And here I thought your baldness was chronic." Gohan stammered and I chuckled.

"I thought so too, and I have known the little man my whole life. I was shocked when he came to visit one day and he had hair; first I thought it was a wig…" My voice trailed off at the memory.

Krillen rubbed his head absentmindedly. "Yeah, your dad here pulled on it, desperate to get the 'disgusting wig', his own words, off my head." He scowled at me. "He tugged so hard that the hair came out by the roots! I had to start growing it all over again!" I clutched my tummy as I laughed, picturing the whole scene in my mind again.

"Yeah, that was a good day." I stuttered through the laughs.

I noticed that Gomih stood up, from the corner of my eye, and walked to our group of friends.

Gomih cleared her throat. "No fair guys, you are hogging him." Everybody smiled and moved away from Gohan, giving her the chance to talk to her sibling.

She walked slowly to her brother, a warm smile on her full lips. He returned the smile and extended his arms out toward her, wanting to pull her into a bear hug, but I was surprised to see her stop in front of him with her arms crossed over her chest, denying the loving gesture.

Her smile turned into a scowl and she stared down at him. He raised an eyebrow at her strange behaviour. "Sis?" He asked worriedly.

"I knew you would come back." She stated, strangely there was no happiness in her voice.

The little dragon cleared his throat and Gohan spun around looking at him, before he could answer Gomih's statement. He waved his finger for him to come closer. Gohan kneeled next to the odd creature and he whispered something to soft for my sensitive hearing to pick up in my son's ear.

"Hold that thought." He directed to Gomih and disappeared.

"Where did he go?" Gomih asked irritated, to the dragon.

The creature pulled his tie neatly and squirted breath-freshener into his mouth. He walked confidently towards Gomih and pulled her hand, making her sink down to his level. "Hey toots, you must be Gohan's sister. I must say, with pleasure that you look nothing like him."

He winked at her and she frowned. "Very cute little dragon but I have a boyfriend."

He chuckled. "And I am writing my IQ test tomorrow."

"What does that have to do with anything?" She asked confused and an arrogant smile spread across his lips.

"I am just stating the things we can cheat on." He replied smugly and she chuckled.

"Real smooth." She complimented and crossed her arms over her chest. "But if I were you, I would leave me alone." She made it sound like a death threat. I frowned, whatever is bugging her, we will soon find out; she was never that good of keeping her feelings at bay…

(Gohan's POV)

Magisterial stood on top of the luscious green hill near the training grounds. A deep frown was embedded in his forehead and he rested all his weight on his cane. I rushed over to him.

"I heard." He said, stress apparent in his voice.

I nodded. "So what do we do now?"

He shook his head slowly. "Slow down boy." He hushed me. "First tell me everything from the beginning."

"From the start-start or…" I started.

"Kibito already filled me in on the basics; just tell me your statement." He said.

"Well what I can infer, Babidi is Raphael's servant and does everything he is told, so we are in trouble. They are attached to the hip." My voice trailed off. "And he mentioned something about not yet having obtained his strongest warrior; a warrior even stronger than me."

A deeper frown settled on his brow. "So his army is still full steam ahead?"

I nodded.

"Did he mention the number of his troops?" He fished for more information.

I shook my head. "But by the sound of his confidence, he will outnumber us plenty. Or he is just bluffing…"

He bowed his head in shame. "How could I have not sensed it? I am the Magisterial Kai for goodness sake, I _should _have known."

I put my hand soothingly on his shoulder. "He fooled us all." I comforted and he lifted his head again. "Indeed; it won't help to dwell over this, we _must_ look forward, _not_ back!"

I smiled at my mentor. "That is the spirit sir!"

"I will gather my army and send them to earth ASAP." He started to plan. "Go back to your planet and wait for further instruction. I will fill Gailo in on the situation and he will strategise accordingly; filling you in when they get to earth."

I nodded. "And if he comes back earlier?"

"Take him out." His voice held no emotion. "I understand your friends and family are strong too. They can divert his other soldiers while you take Raphael."

I managed a small smile to my mentor. "See you."

He nodded encouragingly and started to walk in the direction of his mansion. I flinched when Shin and Kibito suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

"Warn a guy!" I yelled agitatedly to my comrades but they ignored me flatly.

"Where is Magisterial?" Shin asked urgently and I pointed to my mentor's mansion.

"Don't worry; I already filled him in." I told him but he shook his head.

"We want to know if he knows of any other warriors we can recruit into our army against Raphael. We already thought of recruiting Grand Kai's students like Pikkon."

I smiled. "Yes, he will be a great asset; he is an extraordinary fighter." I noted and they nodded.

"Keep in touch." Kibito said absentmindedly before teleporting away…

I teleported back to the lookout and found my friends gathered around Draco. _They didn't notice my arrival_; I noticed when they didn't look up when I landed. They were listening with awe at something Draco was saying; virtually hanging on his lips. Curious about what intriguing Draco is saying I neared the group on the tips of my toes, afraid that Draco will stop his telling after he notices me.

I stood behind one of the lookout's tall bushy trees and tilted my ear in his direction to hear better.

"… and then he was forced to dress like a French maid _and_ had to clean the whole Otherworld!" He exclaimed and everybody laughed.

"I will not lie; I liked the attention I got from all the men." I joked arrogantly as I came out of hiding and leaned nonchalantly against the bush. "I even got king Yemma's number." I reached into my pocket and took out a random piece of paper, probably the one I scribbled the grocery list for Draco on, and swung it lightly in the air, like it was a tiny flag. I flashed brilliant toothy smile and everybody laughed.

"Can't be…" Trunks stammered and flashed to my side. He grabbed the piece of paper out of his hand and examined it. I used mind-manipulation on them to make my story authentic.

_'You won't see a grocery list on that piece of paper, you will see a list of random phone-numbers and one will be King Yemma's'; _I sent into their minds.

His mouth fell open as he read all the digits out loud and everyone else also gathered around him to see for themselves. I snickered at their baffled expression.

"Ignorant mortals…" I said under my breath and walked over to Draco to give him a noogie.

"What do you thinking you are doing?" I questioned with a snicker.

"Just filling them in!" He defended himself. "You used that mind-control thing, didn't you?" He accused. "There is no way that you really got ol' Yemma's number?"

I chuckled at his unsure tone. "You never know…" I stated mysteriously and he raised his eyebrow questioningly. "Now I am not even sure…"

I smiled at the little dragon and turn to my friends. "I am going to milk it a little…" I whispered to Draco and he gave me a thumbs-up through his snickers. "I taught you well!"

I put my cape over my head, making only my mouth visible. "He didn't tell you the worse part…" My voice trailed off dramatically. They all turned their attention to me with confused expressions colouring their features.

I made a summersault and caught myself on one of the lookout's pillars. I leaned loosely from the pillar; my right arm now supporting all my body's weight.

"Every day when the weather is exactly like this..." I pointed a shaky finger to the sky, an array of purple clouds were heading dangerously in this direction. I jolted my head back to my friends quickly with a devious smile planted on my lips. A few of them flinched at the abrupt motion.

_Must not laugh… Must not laugh…_ I chanted over and over to myself.

"…I turn into a bloodsucking succubus." I said the sentence softly, just loud enough for all their ears to pick up. It sounded so menacingly that I saw goosebumps for on their skin. I smiled internally. _Nailed it!_

I used the ki-manipulation technique to make my eyes vermilion red. I raised my head slowly, revealing my new red eyes. All of my friends stared wide eyed at my new frightening appearance. I forced myself not to laugh at their gullible nature.

I fazed from sight and went to sit on my father's shoulders with my fake vampire teeth secure in my mouth. Dad let out a girlish scream and tried to get me off his shoulders. He clawed at my legs around his neck and yelled "get him off me!" repeatedly while everybody just gawked at the unusual situation, not sure how to react.

I couldn't hold my laughs any longer. I fell backwards off my father's shoulders while clutching my stomach. I pointed to all my friends' petrified expressions. "I can't believe you fell for that!" I choked out through the laughs. "You guys will believe everything!" I rolled on the floor and hit my fist against the floor, cracking it, through all the humour.

Vegeta growled. "We don't have time for your childish games!" He spat. "If you don't remember the destroyer of worlds wants to destroy us!" He almost screamed.

I heaved loudly before I stopped laughing. I wiped all the tears off my cheeks with the back of my hand and smiled up to Vegeta. "Ki wena klagobetsa haram." _(Translation: You are too uptight Veggie)  
_  
Vegeta's mouth fell open. "You know Saiyago?"

I chuckled at his stunned expression and nodded. "Tjee!" I exclaimed in confirmation! _(Translation: Duh!)_

Vegeta chuckled. "These last six years were good for you." He observed.

I smiled broadly. "Thanks."

"So what did you master or sensei or whoever say about our current situation?" Piccolo asked civilised.

"We have to wait for further instruction." I declared.

"Are you telling me that we have to wait for whoever you were just at and sit here like rotten potatoes until he tells us, like toddlers, what to do and what not to?!" Vegeta exclaimed agitatedly.

I pouted. "I wouldn't have put it that way, but in short, yes. We will wait for my sensei, the Magisterial Kai," I said Magisterial's name louder, emphasizing it. ", to give the command…"

Dende and Piccolo gasped. "You received training under thee Magisterial Kai?" Piccolo stuttered out in shock.

I smiled at his ignorance and winked. "Surprised?"

He gulped and nodded frantically. I chuckled at his comical reaction. Gomih got a puzzled frown on her brow. "What's the big deal?" She directed to my first mentor.

"The big deal…" Piccolo repeated baffled. "He is the leader of all the Kai's. He reigns over even that of the Grand _and _Supreme Kai. He is the reason the universe is still intact!" He exclaimed with passion.

I let out an impressed whistle. "Damn Piccolo, you sure know your stuff!" I complimented and he smiled.

"I have Kami to thank for that." He stated, not taking the credit.

"So if you don't mind me asking Gohan, why is the universe crumbling down now that Raphael is free on his spree." Gomih challenged me.

I smiled lovingly at her. "That is why I am here. I am one of the Magisterial's thirteen protectors of the universe, sent to help keep the peace between galaxies." I flaunted.

Her frown deepened. "And yet he couldn't have just located this Raphael and kill him himself, since he is so powerful." Her voice was full of doubt.

"It is complicated…" I breathed and she rolled her eyes.

"It always is with you…" She said under her breath but I could pick up the words.

"Raphael was one of Magisterial's first students who turned out bad because of greed and vanity." I explained and turned to Piccolo. "If the tables were turned and I was evil, would you kill me?" I asked rhetorically. "That is the exact situation Magisterial is placed in now."

"If there were no way to save you I would have no choice." Piccolo answered my question anyway.

"See?" Gomih said. "If Piccolo can do it, when you are his friggin favourite person in the world, your mentor should have also had to. Then we would have never been stuck with this in the first place."

I frowned at her logic. "Piccolo didn't do it." I countered. "He merely said that if push comes to shove he would "kill" me." I made inverted commas in the air with my fingers. "Saying isn't doing. Don't you think it would be difficult to kill someone you love on the spot, knowing about all the good times you have had in your life?" I defended my sensei.

"Probably not as hard as leaving your family and friends claiming to be gone forever, but returning after six years just to screw up the progress said family had made in getting over the abandonment in the first place." Gomih spat; her words clearly directed to me.

"I did it for you." I said calmly, trying not to upset her more.

Her face held bewilderment. "Oh okay; explain to me how you refusing to come home, just to get stronger, isn't selfish."

My mouth fell open in disbelief. How could she even think that? "You thought I was selfish this entire time?" I almost yelled; not able to maintain my calm composure.

She shrugged indifferently in response.

"Have you met earth, the danger magnet?" I asked rhetorically.

She rolled her eyes. "Sure, earth is constantly under attack, but what is wrong with training on your own planet?! We could have wished you back easily; you haven't died more than two times so it would have been effortless. But yet, 'that cannot be done' said the dragon…" Her voice turned softer, more accusing.

"I would never have become this strong!" I reasoned.

She scoffed. "Oh so this is just about your arrogant Saiyan strength crap?" She asked.

I took a deep breath, calming myself; I was starting to get mad that my point was not coming across clear. "No, I just thought ahead! I knew that someday a villain too strong for us to handle will show up and then what? We get killed?" I challenged.

Her eyes were breathing fire. "Then the mighty Magisterial Kai could have sent one of the other twelve protectors to save the friggin day!" She said in a high mocking tone.

I sighed. "Leaving you guys were the hardest decision I ever had to make!"

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Not hard enough it seems." She stated while staring at my halo.

"Gomih what do you want me to say?" I asked pleadingly, not wanting to argue any more. These moments I have on earth now are so precious, I don't want to waste them on fighting.

"I want you to leave!" She yelled and powered up to Super Saiyan.

"You don't mean that." I said, convincing myself more than convincing her.

"Oh and you know me so well!" She yelled and retracted her fist for a punch. She shot it to my face with lightning speed but I blocked the punch with my elbow. She stared in shock at her fist still stuck to my arm, but she didn't stay fazed for long.

She retracted her fist again and flung a flurry of punches and kicks to me. I decided not to retrain her, knowing that she needed to blow off steam. I blocked every blow without effort and that made her even madder. She jumped back, making a graceful backwards summersault in the air and landed with a perfect posture a few metres away.

She was panting a little bit from the exertion. She wiped some stray sweat off her forehead with her sleeves. "Why aren't you fighting back?" She asked offended.

"I don't want to hurt you." I answered truthfully and she raised her eyebrow in disbelief at me. Dad walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Gomih stop." He instructed softly yet sternly.

She glowered at him over her shoulder. "Get your hand off me." She sneered.

He didn't budge. "Just try to understand." He pleaded and she cracked.

She threw her arms agitatedly in the air, shaking Dad's hand off her shoulder in the process. "He left us!" She pointed a shaky finger to me and I flinched. "He abandoned _us_ and he expects me to just welcome him back with open arms, no questions asked?" She asked with disbelief. "I am sorry Dad but I am not like you. I cannot oversee what he did and act all lovey-dovey. I just can't." That last part was a mere whisper.

"I feel like he doesn't deserve it…" She sank down and cried. She put her arms around her legs and pulled them up, closer to her chest. She buried her face between her knees too, hiding her sobs.

That was the most heart-shattering scene I have ever witnessed in my life. And I did that… My first instinct was to turn around and fly away, but I can't keep running anymore. I just can't… Running away won't make my problems magically disappear. They will still follow me wherever I go.

Dad stared at me, a confused expression printed on his face. A slight smile formed on my lips; he never really knew how to deal with these situations.

I walked over to my sister and kneeled next to her. "Go away." She choked out through the sobs when she noticed my presence.

"Guys let's give them a moment." Dad suggested and everyone nodded. "We will be at Bulma's when you're done." Dad stated and teleported away with everybody using instant transmission.

We were completely alone on the lookout now.

I stood there, trying to form words that would sufficiently express my guilt, but a sudden weakness overwhelmed me. My nose began to run, my eyes began to water and it would have been like allergies if it weren't for the heavy sad feeling choking my throat.

"Gomih I am sorry." I said after a while, when I gained control over my emotions again, my stupid brain not coming up with any better consoling words.

She lifted her head and rested it on her knees. Her face was a mess: her brown eyes looked dull, red and puffy from all the crying, her usually voluminous hair clung to the sweat on her forehead in dead strings and her whole face was bright red due to the lamentation.

"You broke my heart." She choked out with a heavy sad voice. "Six years ago, you broke my heart. A simple sorry isn't going to make it better."

I bowed my head out of shame. My gaze fell to the floor as I felt the unpleasant feeling of guilt returning.

"I didn't realize you had such a hard time dealing with it…" I admitted and she frowned. "You thought it would have been easy for me?!" She spat. "We are twins! We have a connection no scientist can explain. A part of me died with you that day..." He voice drifted off. "But yet, I feel like I am sitting next to a complete stranger now. Our connection is gone, and that breaks my heart even more." Her voice cracked and a few more tears flowed down her cheeks.

I blinked my eyes rapidly, forcing myself not to cry. I still felt connected to her, but I guess I can't blame her for feeling that way after what I had done. "At least we still have all our wonderful memories." I said with I forced a smile, trying to get a positive spin to the melancholy conversation.

Her lips twisted into a small smile. "Yeah, people change. Memories don't."

We were quiet for a while before she spoke again. "It sounded like we just broke up." She sniffed loudly and wiped the tears off her cheek. She smiled at my puzzled expression. "Not that you would have any idea about that…"

I chuckled awkwardly and pointed to the halo. "It sucks being eleven forever."

"Why didn't you tell me you were back?" She blurted out.

"What do you mean?" I asked, not completely understanding her question.

"You were on earth for a while today, and if it weren't for Dad having that little mental breakdown, we would have still thought you were Saiyaman and never have been the wiser. Were you really planning on coming to earth, _back to us_, and don't even want to let us know about it?"

"I was given clear instruction to avoid you guys." I explained instantly. "You weren't supposed to know that I was here. And I already broke my cover in the first hour I was back, when I said your name when you were talking to Trunks."

She frowned. "You never said…" Her eyes widened in shock. "You were that creepy tattooed perverted ass who smacked my bum!" Aw crap, I didn't want to say that to her, ever! There are things siblings are just better off without knowing!

"What? No, that wasn't me. Ew." I covered but I could see that she saw through my mask.

"But you just said…" She started.

"I know what I said," I interrupted her. "Can't we just talk about something else?" I tried to steer the conversation into a different direction.

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever, I know it was you and that is just disgusting! I am your sister you perv!"

An awkward silence hung in the air. "We should probably get back." She stated after looking at her watch.

"We probably should." I repeated. "I am so sorry for causing discomfort in your life." I apologized sincerely again.

She raised her eyebrow. "You didn't cause discomfort in my life baby bro, you screwed it up." She stated and I flinched at the accusation.

I brushed it off and smiled at her. "Can't be too much; your life seems quite nice."

She smiled grimly. "Not until recently." She confessed.

I sighed. "So I guess it will never be the same between us ever again?" I almost started crying, but I held my composure.

She also sighed. "I guess not; you have to go back again when all this is over I presume?" She asked, hope lingering in her voice.

I smiled sadly. "Yes."

"Then I guess not." She stated and extended her arm. "Here is to being long distance friend-siblings."

I chuckled and shook her hand. "What if I promised to come and visit more often?" I offered.

She scoffed. "I am sorry, but I'll have to say that I'll have a hard time believing anything coming out of your mouth."

"Fair enough; but I at least can try." I suggested.

She shrugged. "Okay, I trust you. You better visit us once a month then." She compromised and I smiled as hope settled in my stomach.

"Deal! Maybe things will get back to what it used to be." I hoped aloud.

"I doubt it, but we can try. I will not lie, it will take some time." She admitted but I smiled anyway. "Good enough for me."

"I just have one request before we go back." She started.

I raised my eyebrow questioningly. "What?"

She chuckled at my tone. "I want to punch you." She declared. "Really hard…"

I frowned. "For real?" I asked and she laughed. "Yes for real! I am still a little angry at you and a punch will solve it."

I chuckled. "Your funeral sis." I declared.

She snickered at my statement. "Arrogant much?"

I chuckled. "So I have been told."

We both stood up and she loosened herself. "I am going to give it everything I got." She stated threatingly but I shrugged.

"Hit me with your best shot!" I sung and she smiled.

She powered up to full power in her Super Saiyan form and my mouth fell open in shock. Her ki was actually on the brink of SS2!

She retracted her fist and punched me through my face with all her might. I didn't fall to the ground, but my head turned 180 degrees at the impact. A sharp sting rang through my neck.

A frown formed on my sister's brows. "Nothing?" She gasped out.

I smiled and jolted my head back forward. It made a clicking sound and I rubbed my sore jaw. "Nah, it actually stung a bit." I confessed and her mouth fell open. She walked closer to me and went to sit on her knees, sinking to my level. She took my arms in her hands and examined them.

"You aren't even more muscular than before, but your exterior feels indestructible! The bones in my hand almost cracked when it collided with your face." She noted. "You have always been hard-headed…"

I chuckled. "Power doesn't lie in the muscle Gomih…" I stated and she frowned at me.

"Still as philosophical as ever." She retorted.

"So we are even?" I asked and a devilish smile played on her lips. _Oh, I know that expression_… I thought in despair.

She threw her arm around my neck and gave me a diabolical noogie. "Now we are." She declared after she let me go.

"Good." I muttered and extended my arm toward her. "Ready to go?" I asked and she took my arm.

I teleported us to Bulma's house, still remembering exactly where it was located.

We landed between the flowers in Bulma's garden. I felt proud at myself. _At least I didn't land in a tree this time.  
_  
I felt everyone's ki's inside the house. "Mother is in there too." I breathed and Gomih shot me a sympathetic glance. "Good luck." She stated and jumped out of the flowerbed.

"Ps. Bulma is going to kill you. She won first place with that exact gardenias your feet are currently planted in." She declared while pointing to the colourful display of blossoms.

I pouted. "Since when is Bulma into flowers?" I asked, remembering that Bulma was a robotics nerd, not a green thumbed housewife.

Gomih chuckled at my expression. "The power went out once; she was bored…" Her voice trailed off and I laughed. "I knew she wouldn't have done it out of her own free will."

We walked up to the house together but I paused at the door, not finding the courage to go in and face my mother.

"Don't be a wimp now!" Gomih encouraged and dragged me into the house. Everyone's chatters stopped when they all laid their eyes on me. I saw Mother blinking her eyes rapidly in disbelief and I smiled awkwardly up at her.

"Hey Mom." I greeted her and, just as I thought, she fainted on the spot.

"No change there…" I stated under my breath.

"That could have gone worse." Gomih gave me a thumbs-up.

Bulma came running up to me and kneeled in front of me to get down to my height. "Just look at you! You haven't changed a bit!" She exclaimed and grabbed me into a bear hug. "We sure missed you kiddo!" She said and I smiled.

"Likewise! I am glad to see that things haven't changed much since I uh left."

She smiled lovingly. "You must be starving! Let me arrange some food for you."

My stomach grumbled on cue. "That will be great!" I exclaimed and she smiled.

She stood up and looked around. "Where is he?" She muttered. "VEGETA!" She yelled, getting her husband's attention.

"What is it woman!?" Vegeta yelled back annoyed.

"Stop being useless and get the boy a sandwich!" She instructed.

"I don't take orders from any one!" He yelled back and she put her hands on her hips.

"What day is it?" She asked.

"Friday." He said without hesitation.

"And what happens on Fridays?" She stared and he grunted.

"Fine!" He stomped off into the kitchen.

I laughed. "Wow Bulma, you tamed the prince!" I complimented and gave a little dramatic bow.

She laughed. "You just have to use the right tactics."

"Ahhh…" My mother's groan echoed across the room and I cringed. My dad helped her to sit upright.

"Where is he? Where is my boy?!" She asked bewildered and stared frantically around her.

"Right there." Dad pointed directly at me and smiled.

I gulped, bracing myself for her impact.

She flew from the ground with a lighting speed rivalling that of a Super Saiyan and embraced me tightly. I relished the hug; it felt good to be in my mother's comforting and loving embrace after all these years.

"Oh my baby. I thought I was never going to see you again!" She exclaimed.

I felt my face becoming blue from the lack of oxygen. "Mom.. ca…nt...br..eath." I choked out and she let go of me.

She sank down to my level and examined my face. Her hands ran through my face as she looked me over. She pinched my cheeks and I flinched. "Mom you are supposed to pinch yourself to see if your dreaming, not me!" I joked and she started to laugh uncontrollable at my joke.

"Gosh Mom, it wasn't that funny." I said when I saw tears of the laughs stream down her face. She started sobbing and pulled me in for another hug. "It is just so overwhelming! You are here!" I returned the hug eagerly and smelled in the sweet familiar aroma of her perfume. Ah.. Vanilla lavender… The sweet fragrance tickled my nose.

I also started to feel overwhelmed by the moment and felt a few warm tears fall down my face. It all just became too much to bear anymore; the situation of Gomih also hasn't left my system yet and that feelings also joined the tear-parade.

"The food up there is awful Mom." I complained on my mother's soft shoulder in my thick sad voice. I even shed a few tears over that little trivial fact.

She rubbed my back soothingly and I got goosebumps from the compassionate gesture. "It's okay honey; Mommy is here."

We stood like this, with me crying like a newborn baby for a few minutes before I lifted my head from her shoulder. I smiled as I looked into her kind, also tear-soaked eyes while wiping the wetness off my cheeks. "Thanks; I really needed that."

She took my hand in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Me too…" She whispered.

Vegeta cleared his throat to get my attention. I looked up at him questioningly.

"Here's your sandwich." He growled and stuffed the bread in my hands.

"Thanks Vegeta." I thanked and devoured the sandwich in one bite.

He waved his hand indifferently in the air. "Yeah, yeah."

My eyes widened in horror as I saw the Eighteen walk into the room. I flashed to her side immediately and held her in an inescapable headlock. "What are you doing here?!" I sneered into her ear.

"Better question is what are you doing here?" She retorted.

I tightened the grip. "Don't sass me, I will rip you apart!" I threatened. "I won't let you hurt my friends!"

"Gohan what are you doing?!" Krillen yelped. "Eighteen is my wife!" He yelled and my mouth fell open. I looked at Gomih, searching for answers and she nodded slowly at Krillen's statement.

"You aren't evil anymore?" I asked Eighteen, bewildered.

She scowled at me. "Yes I am, and my master plan is so flawless that it involves walking without defence into a den invested with Saiyans!" She retorted sarcastically. "Now let go of me!"

I released her and she staggered forward while rubbing her neck. "Have you been devouring steroids the last six years?" She asked and I smiled. "You don't know the half of it…"

"Sheesh Gohan," Krillen stated annoyed while he helped his wife up. "And in front of our kid." He pointed to the little adorable blond toddler with the two braids.

My mouth fell open again. "Androids can have babies?!" I exclaimed and Krillen frowned. "Whoa, down boy with the discrimination."

"Gohan, don't be rude." My mother scolded and I smiled apologetically.

"Sorry." I apologized and they both nodded. "You didn't know."

I felt something tug on my pants wildly and looked down to see Draco. My mother let out a horrified shriek as she laid her eyes upon the little dragon.

"What is that thing?!" She exclaimed frightened while pointing at Draco.

Draco pouted. "There goes my great self-esteem…" He muttered and I chuckled.

"Don't worry Mother, he is with me." I put her to ease and she frowned.

"My son has become a delinquent…" Her voice trailed off. "He made friends with a talking insect-like dragon." She gasped. "I have raised a riff-raff of a son…"

"Down on the theatricals Mother…" Gomih exclaimed, followed by an irritated sigh.

"Aren't you forgetting about something?" Draco asked, ignoring my mother's rants.

"What?... Oh!" My eyes lit up as I remembered. "I completely forgot about Raphael for a moment!"

Draco scowled at me. "You should thank your stars that he hasn't showed up yet."

I nodded. "Yeah… He could arrive any moment and it is not safe here…" I realised aloud. "Guys I think it would be best if we all went to the lookout. If Raphael comes here to find me, he will kill all the innocent people in the town surrounding me..." I told my friends.

"You want us to come with you?" Dad asked surprised and I smiled warmly.

"Of course; you guys can help us take down the army." I stated; knowing that it will be safer for them if they are near me. I won't let anything happen to them, ever.

"Wait? What is all this talk about an army?" My mother asked shocked.

"I will fill you in when we reach the lookout." Dad declared and put his arm protectively around my mother's shoulder.

We gathered everybody together and I teleported all of us back to the lookout. We were there for a good amount of two hours before horror struck…

Krillen started talking about something irrelevant but I didn't register his words. All my senses were directed to the massive ki heading straight towards us.

Everything happened in slow-motion. I made a ki-box around all my friends and used instantaneous movement to teleport us away from the lookout.

I looked back to the lookout as I teleported away and saw it disintegrate instantly when the invisible energy blast connected with it. The intensity of the blast was so forceful that it reached us while still in instantaneous movement; making us roll in the air and make me go off course and collapse into the ground, near a village under the lookout.

I shook my head slowly from side to side; trying to shake away the dizzy feeling from the fall. "

You guys all right?" I directed to my friends behind me while searching for the attacker in the sky.

"Just peachy thanks." Draco exclaimed as he brushed off his suit. "This was Italian leather I'll have you know."

I ignored Draco's whines and walked a few yards ahead, creating a gap between me and my friends. I was on high alert. I transformed directly into my SS3 state, not wanting to take chances like last time. All my friends gasped when they saw my evolved SS form. I put my hand in their direction, shushing them. "Later…" I breathed. Not in the mood for their 'You have discovered another level of the Super Saiyan transformation' speech.

I frowned. Why can't I feel the ki of the attacker?

My eyes widened when I felt another devastatingly strong energy ball heading down to earth, making the previous beam, which destroyed the lookout, look like a fluffy baby bunny. I shot my hands up in the air and caught the blast effortlessly in my hands.

The blow was so strong that it made the whole earth shift down in its orbit. I clenched my teeth and shot some of my energy into the blast. As soon as my energy connected with the invisible ki-ball, it changed colour, making it visible.

I heard my friends gasp as they perceived the giant orange ball of energy. The thing was almost as big as earth, but I was just holding it with one hand.

I jumped up gracefully into the sky with the ball securely in my grasp. I was showing off a bit, wanting my friends to know what I can do.

I widened my search parameters, but still couldn't locate a ki that didn't belong to the environment. I aimed the blast into space; in a direction I knew no planets were located. I studied this solar system very thoroughly, so I knew it very well.

I shot the blast in that directing and it scattered off into space, probably going to travel until all its energy is drained out. _Oh how I love physics_.

I was suddenly punched through the face, so forceful that I flew to the ground, but I caught myself before I could crash and used my arms to thrust me back into the sky into the direction I felt an almost untraceable tang of a ki.

I felt it move a few inches to the side, probably not anticipating that I knew its location. I smiled at its ignorance. My arms bind around, what I presumed was the creature's neck and I thrust all my weight to the back, creating a slingshot effect, and let go of it.

Momentum carried the person through a tree before finally coming to a stand-still on a little hill.

I felt the small trace of energy speed towards me and I closed my eyes, making it easier for me to detect the energy-signal. There was anyway no use in using my eyes to fight an invisible enemy.

I dodged every oncoming wave of energy and after a while went into offence myself.

_ This is definitely not Raphael_, I thought as I witnessed this guy's unique fighting style.

I punched the person in circles and fazed behind him and took his neck between my arms and gave it a tight squeeze. A faint choke sound escaped the mouth of my assaulter.

"Who are you?" I demanded and made my grip looser, wanting the person to have the ability to speak without difficulty.

When it didn't speak I made my grip tighter and I felt faint hands curling around my arms. "Well?" I encouraged impatiently.

"Fi…ne." The person gasped out and I lessened my grip again.

His figure became clear and I frowned as I saw the familiar silhouette of one of my previous enemies.

"Frieza?" I heard my dad gasp in shock.

I frowned as I noticed the italic "R" printed on his forehead. How tacky Ralphy... I shook my head slowly with a smile of despair on my lips. "He recruited everybody from HFIL." I realised and Frieza applauded.

"Not bad for a monkey." He complimented and broke free out of my grip.

I frowned at his strength. This is strange… He was nearly not as strong when I last encountered him, he could barely keep up with Dad when he was in his first Super Saiyan transformation, and now he is rivalling my third SS-form. How?

Frieza's tyrannical chuckle filled the air. "You probably have a lot of questions brat, but I promise they will be answered very soon…" He winked at me.

"Where is Raphael?" I demanded and he snickered.

"Not so fast boy. My job is done. I was just told to deliver a message to you…" His voice trailed off mysteriously.

"And what is the message?" I asked impatiently.

"Checkmate…" He declared victoriously.

An evil smile spread across his lips before he exploded. My mouth fell agape and my eyes widened as I saw bits and pieces of Frieza scatter into the sky. What did he do that for? I was completely baffled by the situation, repeating Frieza's last words over and over in my mind to make sense of it, but nothing came to mind.

And then I felt it. I fell to the ground, my body jerking violently in pain, looking like a fish out of water from the outside.

"Gohan?" Gomih's worried voice rang besides me.

"What is happening to me?" I yelled out frightened through the pangs of excruciating pain. My body turned back to my normal state instantly and the pain intensified. I stared at my dad with big pleading eyes, begging him to put an end to my misery.

_Booo!_ I voice in my mind rang. My eyes widened as I recognised the origin of the voice.

_No…_

********************************************************  
_Mwhahaha! Yet another cliff-hanger! You may call me the cliff-hanger queen… Bow to me my readers! Hahaha!_

I hoped you enjoyed this chapter! I know that I did!

*deep announcer voice* When is Raphael going to arrive?

What did Frieza mean by "checkmate" when they weren't even playing chess?!

What the hell is going on with Gohan?

Why am I so mean for writing yet another cliff-hanger, perhaps the biggest of them all?!

_**Find out everything and more in the next chapter of Gohan: The Untold Story!**_

Until next week!


	21. Chapter 20: Date of Death

**Hello there! *waves friendly* Oh how I have missed you guys!**

_Thank you: dragonballZ9, Boerseun, Rose, Pix, mks 12 98, RKF22, 9thZfighter, unwanted half Saiyan demon, Sirius Potter2, Vienne, Rawr, Noooo and Vegetaslave87 for reviewing! There is a special place in my heart for all of you! *tears up*_

O,h and thank you for all the peepz who favourited and subscribed to my story. You guys hve a special place in my heart too! :D

dragonballZ9: *blushes* Thank you soooooo much! I will definitely finish it! So glad that you like it so much! (You, sir have excellent taste! XD)

Boerseun: Hahaha! So bly om nog 'n Afrikaner fan te sien! AWESOMENESS! *patriotiese vuis* VIVA SUID- AFRIKA! :D

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Rawr: Noooooo! Don't eat me, I'm too chewy! *gets in fighting stance* Bring it! Haha! I am soooo proud of you for remembering one small detail I mentioned just once about 10 chaps ago! *applauds you* Don't worry, I didn't forget about it… It shall be in the next chapter! So keep ya eyes peeled for it!

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ…

Enjoy*****

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**CHAPTER 20: Date of Death…**

The strange tremors of pain suddenly vanished and the shudders stopped abruptly. I was just laying on the cold, yet soothing, ground now, staring up at the beautiful blue sky; my heartbeat started to turn normal again and my breathing became more systemized. I relished in the feeling of no pain as I lay panting on the ground, exhausted from the exertion the agony had caused.

My head was racing to find a logical explanation for that strange occurrence, but none came to mind. But as I thought back to the aggress; reliving it, just without the pain, I could have sworn I felt Raphael's presence inside my skull.

My eyes widened as I put two and two together. I must be his strong warrior; his secret weapon… He alone, even with his great power, couldn't have reached the inner mechanisms of my well protected mind, but he has Babidi with him…

I started to have an internal panic attack; from the outside it probably looked as if I felt relaxed, but my insides were freaking out, knowing that not even I, would be able to withstand Babidi's powerful spells.

I immediately sent more ki to my mind-shield; four thick layers were guarding my thoughts and current state of mind now, rather than the usual one dense layer. I felt immediately more at ease with the extra security.

My mother was the first person at my side. Her eyes were filled with concern as she kneeled down next to me; her eyes madly travelling from the top to the bottom of my body, searching me thoroughly, and making sure nothing was out of place. She let out a relieved breath as she saw that nothing was amiss.

For the final part of her examination, she placed her hand gently on my forehead.

She jerked her hand away as soon as it came in contact with my skin and blew on it frantically. "You are burning up." She stated and started waving me cool with her apron, desperately trying to lower my high temperature.

I closed my eyes in pleasure as the cool systematic wind caressed my face.

"Thanks Mommy…" I breathed as she continued cooling me down.

She smiled lovingly down at me. "Anything for my little boy..." She cooed and pinched my cheeks. Strangely enough, I wasn't taken aback by the gesture that I always used to hate when I was still alive. I got up into a sitting position, ready to get up, but I froze as Dad started yelling.

"Out of my way!" I heard Dad yell so loudly that I instinctively covered my ears.

Out of nowhere a ton of water collided with my face and I fell down to the ground on my back, startled by the icy-cold water.

"Goku?" Mom directed to Dad, her voice held a fragment of anger.

"I am just trying to help! I saw on the doctor Oz show a few weeks ago, that you should cool people down, who is having a seizure or panic-attack." He stated intelligently.

Gomih scoffed. "I think you are thinking about the episode about dealing with someone who suffered severe burns Dad…"

Dad pointed to me. "But it helped!" He exclaimed proudly.

"If you would have stayed around, you would have seen that he recovered from whatever that was." She scolded her husband.

"The icy water was a tad much Dad," I said as I stood up; water was dripping off my body like a waterfall, "but I appreciate the gesture, I have wanted to go for a swim the entire day!" I defended him.

He smiled happily at me and I returned the gesture with my toothiest smile.

"So what happened there, bro?" Krillen asked concerned. "It looked like you had a seizure."

I met his gaze and shrugged; he was probably the only person here who was my height. "I honestly have no idea Krillen." I admitted, not wanting to concern them with my Raphael theory.

"And what is up with Frieza?" Trunks followed.

Vegeta growled in annoyance. "All of you, just stop with your stupid questions; it is clear that the brat doesn't know what is going on."

I smiled warily. "Yup, I have no clue!"

"So I guess we wait again?" Piccolo asked out of the blue.

I nodded in confirmation. "We don't have any options other than that."

Vegeta grunted. "I am tired of doing nothing. I honestly just wish this destroyer ass arrives soon, so we can get this over with."

I hate to say this, but I actually agree with Vegeta. This waiting is making me crazy! I hate not having the upper hand. If only we had the element of surprise on _our_ side!__

We have come for you... A sinister voice suddenly sneered in my mind; I cringed, it sounded exactly like Raphael! That confirms my theory…__

There are thousands of us and we want to take over your fridge and devour all your pudding! The Raphael sound-alike continued.

A frown formed on my brow. _Pudding?_

Before I could mentally retaliate, a sudden weight on my shoulders made me flinch. I instinctively jumped a short distance forward, creating a gap between my friends and the attacker. I shifted my weight forward abruptly, making the person fall off my upper body. I could see dust settle around yet another invisible enemy. This is getting old…

I placed my foot on what I presumed was the person's back, making sure that it couldn't escape, and increased the pressure, letting it know that I mean business. I heard a sudden deep gasp as I knocked the person's wind out.

"Reveal yourself!" I demanded loudly but the person did not respond.

"Now…" My stern voice trailed off menacingly as I increased the pressure under my foot.

"Fine… sheesh! Live a little." A familiar girly voice cracked out. Her petite, yet muscular body became visible under my foot. I recognised the cluster of blond hair and caramel skin instantly. I sighed angrily and stepped off of her.

"Luna, what the hell?" I asked agitatedly to one of my comrades on the magisterial guard.

She rubbed her neck with her hand and smiled. "I like it rough." She stated flirtatiously and winked at me.

I wasn't flattered by her charm. So she was the one who mind-crushed me earlier, and all that trouble for a prank. "You sounded exactly like Raphael!" I accused. "I thought for a second that he was trying to take over my mind; me being the secret warrior he hadn't obtained yet." I confessed and wiped a few stray drops of sweat off my forehead.

She scoffed. "That was the idea dummy and if there is anyone old Ralphy would recruit, it would be me." She pointed arrogantly to herself.

I rolled my eyes at her. "Modest as ever Luna… You know Raphael can strike at any moment now?" I reminded her with severity in my voice.

She shrugged indifferently. "Loosen up bad boy." She punched me playfully on the arm. "We are ready; we can take him!" She motivated passionately, followed by a little battle cry.

A slight smile tickled my lips. "I am glad you think so…" I wasn't usual a negative-minded person, but I had this pessimistic feeling clinging to my gut; that we weren't out of the woods just yet...

"What is up with your mind by the way?" She asked out of the blue with a frown on her brows.

I tilted my head to the side in confusion, not understanding the question. "What do you mean?"

"It was very cloudy, kind of like poisonous smog filled your mind; it very difficult for me to get through." She declared and I flinched. "So you weren't the one who tried the mind crush on me?"

She shook her head slowly from side to side with a deep frown on her brow. "Someone did the mind crush on you? There aren't many people in the universe that can do that."

I started to feel dizzy as the reality of the situation hit me like a 100 ton concrete brick: It must have been Raphael, who intruded my mind…

She looked around her with interest. "So _this_ is your home planet?" She asked a little shocked with a raised eyebrow, interrupting my speculations. "Gross." She exclaimed in disgust. "Those green tall bushy things are in a hideous contrast with the blue sky."

Ugh, really Luna? "The tall bushy green things are called 'trees', maybe you have heard of them? They are the oxygen givers for most part of the known universe?" I asked sarcastically.

"Not on my planet." She retorted. "Our scientists have created a whole new innovative and graceful way for oxygen to be pumped into our lungs…" She bragged.

I raised my eyebrow in doubt. "And how is that exactly?"

She smiled lovingly. "By altering our DNA, silly." She said as if I should have found it obvious. "When we are born we get a shot of cuzioma, a rare herb, making it possible for our bodies to produce our own oxygen." She giggled. "So if you guys get pawned today and the planet gets destroyed in the process, I will still be able to breathe in space."

"And we will just teleport to safety." I shot back and she rolled her eyes. "Such a cowardly and unimaginative way to survive..."

"Guys I don't want to interrupt your talk; but what did Frieza mean by 'checkmate'?" Dad asked worriedly.

I turned to them with a warm smile. I actually forgot about them for a second; I guess I am not used to them being around. "He probably meant that Raphael and his army are extremely strong and hard to beat. As you probably sensed, Frieza levelled my strength in my third transformation, so we can assume that Babidi has the ability to raise their stats like speed, agility and power too." I explained in a calm voice, not wanting to alarm them.

"But…" Trunks started.

"Don't worry; we will have everything under control." I interrupted him, reading from his mind his negative thoughts; I didn't want him to rally everyone else up too.

Luna frowned as she stared at Dad and the others. "Is that your family?" She whispered curiously into my ears, her voice tickled my lobes.

Before I could answer I noticed that she was already at their sides. I sighed and teleported next to her. "… You guys are all so ugly, why?" She asked dispiritedly.

Everyone ignored her inappropriate manners and turned to me. "Gohan, what transformation was that?!" Krillen exclaimed and waved his hand to my body. I sighed internally, not in the mood to explain my findings of the evolutions of the Super Saiyan to them now.

"You haven't seen anything yet old man, you should see his fourth transformation! Now that is what I call impressive!" Luna boasted on behalf of me.

Vegeta's eyes widened. "There is even a more progressed level of a Super Saiyan than that you displayed now?" Disbelief was engraved in his voice.

I smiled proudly. "Hard to believe, isn't it?"

"Do you mind showing it to us?" Piccolo asked curiously.

I smiled. "Sorry Piccolo, but that transformation takes a lot out of me. You will have to see it on the battlefield someday."

He nodded, understanding. "Perhaps today…"

I nodded absentmindedly. "Perhaps…" My voice trailed off to another galaxy as I tried to imagine how today will end up…

"So how did you achieve those levels of the transformation?" Vegeta fished for more information.

I sighed and decided to tell the story, knowing that they will not stop pestering me if I don't. "Transforming into the third level of Super Saiyan was the hardest thing I ever had to do. I had to work and train hard for just over sixteen months to fully master it. The third level is literally a bone crushing power, for the first time I harnessed it, even though it was only for mere seconds, it nearly crushed every bone in my body." Vegeta and the others were listening to my explanation in awe. "It isn't hard to achieve the level; it is basically just located underneath the second transformation's vault, but it is extremely hard to maintain the power in your grasp. It is a very slippery transformation, if I can say it like that, it takes more mental than physical endurance and power to maintain."

"Incredible…" Vegeta breathed.

"So if the third transformation was so hard to master, I must imagine that the fourth must have been almost impossible to keep?" Piccolo speculated.

I smiled. "One would think that, but the thing is, it is much easier to maintain the fourth transformation." I chuckled at their baffled expressions. "You see, while the third transformation is purely mental, the SS4 is achieved by losing oneself, in a frenzy of uncontrollable rage, triggered in response of a great need." I explained.

"It is an explosion of power; but I think SS3 serves as an icebreaker. I think due to the fact that I already mastered it, made it much easier to grasp the fourth transformation. Like if you already know how to drive an ordinary car, it would be much easier to learn how to drive a truck by using your already obtained skills, than learning how to drive a truck from scratch." I smiled at my newly created metaphor.

A few of my friends nodded, acknowledging that they understood my explanation.

"Do you guys have any more questions, or can I shift my attention to the situation at hand?" I asked civilized and they all shook their head.

"Great; Luna?" I looked around but couldn't see or feel the ki of my comrade.

Her body appeared out of nowhere in front of me. She sighed happily. "Finally, you're finished!" She exclaimed relieved. "I was so bored that entire time that I decided to hit my face against a rock. Not wanting to hurt your feelings I did it whilst invisible. Draco joined me too." She declared while pointing to the little dragon behind her leg.

"Sorry bro." He smiled apologetic up at me.

"I didn't know you could harness invisibility." I aired my thoughts, remembering that she did it when she made her dramatic entrance too.

She smiled a brilliant toothy smile. "Don't underestimate a beautiful face Gohan." She scolded. "I am the princess of the sun and the moon, remember?"

I scoffed. "How could I forget?" I asked rhetorically; remembering all her extended tales of her glamorous royal life.

"I can use the energy of suns and moons all over the galaxy to aide me in battle." She revealed while making a patriotic fist in the air. "And earth's moon and especially its sun, shoots vivid amounts of energy out, making it easy for me to use."

"Impressive…" I complemented. "So Luna, why are you here alone? Where are the others?" I directed to my fellow comrade the question I wanted to ask since she arrived, but the others kept interrupting me so I never had the chance to ask.

She examined her nails intently while talking. "Oh, they are still being debriefed by Magisterial. They will be here soon." She stated bored, like we were talking about the entomology of rocks, not a huge threat.

"Don't you want to know what is going on?" I asked and she shrugged indifferently.

"Raphael is involved, that is all I need to know; Levi or Willow will fill me in on all the other minor details when they get here." Her voice turned serious. "So he really has the whole army this time?" Her voice was filled with worry.

I smiled up at her. "Nothing badasses like us need to worry about." I stated positively.

She chuckled. "True, true. We can take them down easily! With me in the army nothing could go wrong."

I chuckled, "Except everything!" I teased and she punched me on the arm.

"You are forgetting that one time last year I saved your ass from that flock of gay fish." She reminded me.

I scoffed. "You are forgetting who started it in the first place!" I corrected.

"Oh I smell a story; something fishy all right!" Draco exclaimed and stared at me expectantly.

"You have already heard it Draco-ula!"

He shrugged. "Doesn't ring a bell…" He pestered while mimicking a southern accent.

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever cowboy!"

"I want to hear it too." Dad exclaimed and I sighed, feeling guilty that they had missed so much of my life. "Well you see…" I started speaking but my voice faded away as I felt about eleven ki's heading for earth at a vigorous pace.

I recognised the ki's of the other members of the army instantly. I smiled as I felt Reynard's ki speeding towards me. Just before he could hit me I took one step to the side, resulting in him jumping into Vegeta's arms instead...

He stared up at the prince of all Saiyans with a quizzical expression on his face. He pulled a few strands of Vegeta's hair. "You sure have gotten ugly bro; no offence, but these last six weeks since I have seen you, has not been good for you..." He exclaimed.

Vegeta's face became bright red as he threw my friend to the ground. Dust settled around Reynard's body as he stood up. He pointed his finger accusingly at Vegeta. "You aren't Gohan!" He yelled.

Vegeta scowled at him. "No shit." He muttered and resumed his position of 'couldn't be bothered.'

Reynard examined the little crowd and stopped in front of Gomih and my dad who were standing next to each other. He came closer to Dad and he flinched at Reynard intruding his personal space, but staring into Dad's eyes with their faces almost touching.

Reynard clasped his head in agitated confusion as he stared back and forth to Dad, Gomih and Vegeta. "Why are there so many Gohan's?"

He turned to my sister. "Ugh, this is just so mind boggling!" He exclaimed and pointed to Gomih. "When did you become a girl dude? Just because you were forced to be clothed in a dress one time, doesn't mean you are female!" He exclaimed and Gomih laughed.

"I think you are looking for my brother…" She chuckled and pointed to me a few yards away from them. I waved friendly to Reynard, and he teleported to me instantly.

"Gohan!" He exclaimed gleefully and embraced me in one of his famous Reynard hugs. Just as he released me, all the other members of the magisterial army surrounded us.

"Hey guys!" I greeted my comrades. They all smiled at me in return and Veronica, Willow and Magnar came to hug me.

"This is my family and friends." I pointed behind me. "Family and friends, this is the other members of the magisterial army." I introduced the two groups.

They nodded at each other and Dad actually came over and gave each and every one of them a decent handshake.

"Is Kibito and Shin still at Magisterial's?" I asked after the introduction was over.

Gailo nodded. "Shin thought that he and Kibito would be a burden to us and weigh us down in battle, so they thought it best that they stay there. It will be easier for them to survey the situations from there, and jump in when needed. "

Trunks snickered."They sure have faith in you guys."

Luna scowled. "Tell me about it, they always think about the worst case scenarios."

Reynard untangled his arm from my shoulder, a determined expression coloured his face as he walked over to Trunks. I was shocked to see my best friend take Trunks' hand gently in his own and kissing it. I frowned in disgust. What is he doing?

"Nice to meet you, Mademoiselle." Rey said flirtatiously. "I know this is a bad time, being that Raphael can show up and kill us all at any moment now, but it is never too late for romance."

Trunks jerked his hand away from him with force and scowled confusedly at Reynard. "I am a man!" He shouted and I burst into laughter as I saw red spread across Reynard's face, starting at his cheeks.

"But your hair is purple!" He reasoned and my laughs grew deeper. I fell on the ground while clutching my stomach as pain from all the laughs built up in my abdomen.

"That doesn't mean I am a girl!" Trunks pointed to Gomih, my mother and Bulma. "Those are girls!"

A frown still coloured Reynard's brow. "But purple is a girl's colour…" He said slowly; heavy confusion was still engraved in Rey's voice. "If you really are a male, prove it." He challenged as he saw Trunks' baffled expression. He crossed his arms over his chest defiantly; pretty sure that he was right.

"I am not pulling my pants down for you, you freak!" Trunks bellowed.

"If you don't want to go out with me, it's fine. I can handle rejection; there is no reason to change your sex." A tad bit of offence clung to Rey's voice.

Trunks let out a deep breath and unbuckled his belt. I clasped a hand over my mouth; I wasn't sure if I should rescue Trunks from his current situation or just watch and see where this goes. My noble human side encouraged the 'save the damsel into stress' thing but my dominant whimsical and diabolic side won, and sided with 'see where this goes and laugh your butt off in the process '!

"I can't believe I am actually doing this…" Trunks muttered under his breath.

Gomih sighed. "For the love of Pete!" She exclaimed irritated and pulled Trunks' shirt over his head and pointed at his chest. "See? No boobs!" She exclaimed and Reynard backed away slowly with his hands in front of him; his face was even brighter than before.

Trunks pulled his shirt back right and gave Gomih a peck on the lips. "Thanks Goouie!" He cooed and I turned away from the nauseating sight, just in time to see Reynard walking with a crouch and his head bowed in shame towards me.

"We shall never speak of this again." He whispered into my ear as he passed by.

"Define we..!" I mocked.

He scowled at me. "It is not my fault your planet is full of cross-dressers!" He exclaimed loud enough for Trunks to hear.

Trunks' mouth fell open in disbelief. "What part of this manly gi..." He waved his hand to his armoured-gi, "reminds you of a girl's attire?!" He asked baffled.

Reynard pouted. "Fine; feminine men!" He corrected nastily and Trunks' mouth fell open again.

Gomih pinched her boyfriend's chipmunk-like cheeks. "Sweetie, you are kinda feminine…" She stated and everyone laughed.

"See?" Reynard exclaimed victoriously, standing with his hands on his hips triumphantly.

"Tell that to my muscles!" Trunks defended his honour arrogantly and bulked his huge muscles.

"Those are rather huge muscles! Bigger than I can remember actually." A strangely familiar voice chirped behind Trunks.

I was not surprised to see one of my biggest previous enemies behind my group of friends. Dad went to stand protectively instantly in front of Mother and Gomih, but Gomih walked past him and resumed a flawless fighting stance next to our father.

I was surprised to see that Gomih's stance held a mixture of Piccolo and Vegeta's stances, and not that of my father; seems like they were her tutors instead of Dad. But I remember that he was never _that _keen on training her, hesitant because she was a girl and all… I also remember that she used to call him a sexist.

Trunks, Piccolo and Vegeta also resumed their unique signature stances in the lead of the group, shielding all the other less-strong fighters and family members.

_Gohan who is that?_ Gailo asked worriedly in my mind. _His power-level is astounding._

I didn't answer him; instead I pouted sourly. His power-level was indeed magnitudes stronger than what it was before, almost double the amount higher and he hasn't even powered up yet!

"Still as tense as ever…" He mocked and laughed at my friend's protective stances.

"Does someone have bug spray?" I asked jokily at nobody specific and Cell smiled.

"Oh there you are Gohan; I couldn't see you through the thick cloud of testosterone emitting from Trunks' muscles." He laughed at his silly joke.

"Haha..." I mocked and floated slowly with my arms across my chest to above my friends. I glowered, with a smile on my lips, at Cell below me. He returned the gesture with an equally intoxicating smile.

I released my hand from its cross and aimed it down at my friends. I opened my palm slowly and used a small fragment of my ki, careful not to hurt them, to push my friends a little backwards, so I could resume the lead position in front of Cell.

I crossed my arms in front of my chest again as I floated down slowly; my eyes never left Cell's, wary off him, since his huge power boost. I could feel all the stares of my fellow comrades and friend's bore into my back.

I smiled up at Cell. "Very foolish of you to arrive; are you really that desperate to receive yet another beating?" I asked rhetorically and dug in his mind for memories of our last encounters. I smiled as I found his memories and played the times I wasted him up, in front of his eyes.

He growled and I was surprised by the velocity of the power he used to push me out of his mind. "Keep your hands to yourself, boy." He spat and I chuckled.

"So what is Raphael planning?" I asked to the point. "He doesn't arrive himself, but instead he sends you guys piece by piece, one by one…" My voice trailed off. "He must be up to something and I want to know what."

Cell smiled deviously. "Wouldn't you like to know?" He taunted.

I sighed. "Am I going to have to beat it out of you?" I made it sound like a punishment for me.

He shrugged. "I would be surprised if you actually manage to lay a finger on me…" He challenged and got into a fighting stance.

I did the same and waited for him to attack. "Ladies first…" I encouraged and he laughed.

"Don't worry boy, I have manners. I _am i_ndeed waiting for the female-specimen to go first." He countered and gestured a hand to me.

"Aw just give it a rest." Luna yelled annoyed. She teleported to the sky above us and aimed a hand to Cell. "Solar cannon!" She yelled out and my eyes widened; this was her renowned finishing move. I duck out to the side, just barely missing the impact.

"Luna?!" I yelled to her after the powerful blast had settled. "You could have killed me!"

She frowned agitatedly. "That was my original intension! If you guys spend more time fighting and less time cracking 'Yo mama' jokes, this could be categorized as a battle and not a friggin war!" She fumed.

I stood up and brushed my dusty pants off. "Sheesh who's the one who should chill, now?" I retorted, using her own words against her and she rolled her eyes at me.

I took one step towards the hole; smoke was still sizzling around it and gasped as I saw that the cylinder-formed hole went right through the planet; I could see to the other side of earth!

"Dammit Luna; you completely overdid it!" I scolded. "You probably just killed a bunch of people on the other side of the planet!"

"I am sorry for killing Cell." She retorted sarcastically.

"Guys if you just stop bickering for a moment you would notice that Cell is still alive!" Gailo reprimanded and sped past us up to Cell. He delivered a few demolishing blows to Cell instantly, making him fall to the ground.

But that didn't make Gailo slow down.

I stared in awe at his flawless fighting-techniques. He rushed down towards Cell, getting momentum, but just before he could land his punch, Cell shot his arm out quickly and Gailo tripped over it midair, making a few devastating wheels in the sky before stopping himself.

Taking my attention away from their quarrel; I felt about thirty other ki's pop up at random locations all over earth. A peculiar evil aura surrounded each and every one of them. I recognised most of them as my previous enemies.

_All of you, split up! I sense they have infiltrated the planet. _He spoke through our minds while still in offence with Cell, not letting Cell get a piece of our strategy._ It seems like Raphael's plan is to isolate us from the group and pick us apart one by one. We will not let that happen, do you understand me? As soon as you get the upper hand in the battle, lead them back here. If you get in trouble just signal Veronica or Gohan, they will be on standby here with me, in case Raphael shows up here. Any questions?_

_None…_ Reynard spoke on behalf of everybody. _Okay guys, Levi, Steve and Willow head to the north; there are three power levels you can easily defeat, and when you are done, head to the west where Felix, Magnar and I will be taking on what I presume is the stronger six of the clan._ Reynard assumed sergeant-general position of the guard, filling Gailo's usual place as strategist since he was occupied by Cell. Say what you want about the joker of the group, but he can sure pack up a plan and be serious when needed.

_Hey earthlings!_ I was surprised to hear Reynard gathering the attention of my friends. I shot him a warning look but he smiled seriously, reassuring me that he won't let harm fall upon them. _You, you, you and you… _He pointed to Dad, Trunks, Vegeta and Gomih._ You guys are strong, so do you mind taking over the eastern quadrant that is currently being occupied with num-nuts calling themselves the Ginyu force?_ He made it sound more like an order than a question.

They didn't answer; instead a dazed expression occupied all their faces. _It is okay guys; you can take them._ I encouraged and Dad gulped loudly in his mind. He shot Rey a thumbs-up, signalling that they were game.

_Great… Kiana, it would be best if you and Luna head with the other earthlings to the south; making sure that no harm falls upon them. He flashed pictures of both girls in their minds._ He pointed to Luna first; _don't be fazed by her pretty exterior, she is the third-strongest in our little group and this cutie-pie here_, he pointed to Kiana, _is a healer, so don't hesitate to notify her if you require medical assistance. _

Luna rolled her eyes. _"Why am I always stuck with the dreads?"_ Ran through her mind, sulkily.

_Love your spirit Luna. _ Reynard applauded sarcastically and she returned with a fake curtsy.

_Oh, and last but not least, Ash, Farrah and Arzath, can I instruct you guys to evacuate the few villages around the battle area? We don't want to take innocents down with the thugs. And don't forget about Gohan's family there.  
_  
_Where should we take them? _Ash asked.

Reynard thought for a few seconds before speaking again. _Take the mortals here_; an image of a deserted valley located far from every danger zone on the planet flashed in our minds. _And you can take Gohan's friends and the earth's kai to the sacred realm of the kais. They already know about the other world, so let's cause some chaos for Shin.  
_  
I smiled proudly at my friend. Of a better strategy could I have not thought!

_Okay guys… Make like a banana and split!_ He instructed and I felt every one of their unique ki's teleport to their separate locations.

I floated next to Veronica. "Shouldn't we help him?" I asked worriedly as I saw Gailo starting to get tired while Cell still seemed perfectly energised. She shook her head. "Remember, we are on standby. Gailo can take care of himself." She reminded me and I pulled my sensors for the others, waiting for a SOS.

I slipped into my father's mind, just to make sure that they were alright and saw that they were dominating the battlefield. There were just enough of them for each to get a member of the Ginyu force. I sighed relieved and reverted my attention back to the fight with Gailo and Cell.

Gailo was holding his own pretty well, but Cell still seemed surprisingly to have the upper hand. Going against all my instincts to go ahead and help him, I just stood next to the battlefield, feeling utterly useless.

A calm relaxed feeling washed over my body, taking the anxiousness away with it. _Stay focussed._ Veronica ordered and I smiled weakly at her.

_Sorry._ I apologised and averted my attention to all the ki's around us.

A sudden loud bang brought my attention back to Gailo. A blast shot from Cell's mouth and collided at that close proximity with Gailo, who I glimpsed managed to swing to the side just barely.

When the smoke cleared I was surprised to see Gailo crutched to the side, blood gushing from his upper arm. He looked exhausted and a mixture of fatigue and pain was printed on his beaten face.

Not hesitating any longer, Veronica and I sped towards Gailo. She forced Cell's attention and the two's eyes met. I felt that weird ki emit from her body as she used her emotion manipulation technique to confuse Cell but he just shook his head slowly from side to side.

He sighed loudly. "Like a gnat in my brain…" He stated and tried to speed towards my two comrades, but I cut him off, placing my arm to his chest, keeping him away from my fellow team-mates.

"I don't think so." I sneered calmly and he chuckled. He curled his long fingers around my arm and tried to throw my limb from his chest, but to his surprise, he didn't succeed. My arm didn't budge an inch.

_I am taking him to Kiana, for a healing._ Veronica informed me as she put her arm around her boyfriend and comrade's shoulder, supporting his entire weight. I nodded, without looking back and she teleported away.

"Finally, just you and me…" I said softly with a slight smile on my lips as I pushed some ki into my palm; shooting it right through Cell's stomach. He shot back violently and fell to the ground directly on his face. I was surprised to see Cell's huge gash already starting to regenerate after a few seconds, when I specifically remember it taking him a few minutes to heal when we first fought together in the Cell games.

"Impressed?" He cackled as he noticed my stunned expression.

I regained my composure and smiled arrogantly down at him. "I will not lie… That was relatively noteworthy, but you still have nothing on me." I bragged deviously.

"Oh?" He raised his eyebrow in disbelief. "Just face it boy, you have finally met your match. I am now the strongest one between us." He boasted.

I scoffed. "Whatever floats your boat Cell..." I retorted and fazed above him, getting him into an inescapable headlock. He struggled against my grip viscously, but fell limp when he noticed that it was a lost cause.

He sighed loudly. "You are a very clingy person, you know that?" He said and I chuckled. "So I have been told." I retorted and used his weight against him as I slung him around in a perfect circle at lightning speed. I used momentum to my advantage and threw him into the air. I saw his eyes spinning from the dizzy feeling resulted from the twirls, but he shook it off.

He focussed on my approaching figure and frowned. I saw him aim a shaky punch, and threw it towards me, but missed me greatly. The punch landed a few metres in the empty air, a long shot away from my face.

_He was still disoriented from the dizziness,_ I thought with pleasure and kicked his arm, which was still in the air from his previous "punch", and kicked it upwards, making his face completely exposed and vulnerable for a devastating attack.

I made a backwards summersault in the air to get more force behind my body and shot to Cell with a lighting speed, punching him right through his money-maker.

While he was still tumbling with a fast pace down to earth in continuous circular motions, I teleported to the ground beneath him and powered a quick blast in my right hand, aiming it at his chest.

I fired it and increased the power as it travelled towards my foe.

His eyes widened as his brain registered the magnitude of the force; he tried to fly to the side, trying to dodge it, but that just resulted in him being hit right in the pelvis, making the attack more painful than what it would have been in the first place.

My blast was so forceful that it would have made him travel right through space's end, but I wanted to damage him, not send him to an all expense paid tour through space, so made the blast explode. It made firework-like sounds and images as it exploded. Mini versions of the blast shot across the planet, but I used my ki to direct them back to where Cell was last spotted, creating even more explosions on his body.

I waited for the dusty-brown thick smoke to clear, waiting with suspense to perceive the damage I did to my perpetrator. I smiled sinisterly. It didn't look to good for him.

As the smoke finally cleared after what seemed like an eternity, I noticed a new villain resume a protective stance in front of the oversized grasshopper.

I have never seen him before in my life or afterlife. I frowned at his obese pink exterior; basically a big pink blob. His body's silhouette reminded me of a bowling pin and his physical appearance; squinty eyes and chubbiness, reminded me of that of a sumo-wrestler. He was wearing gi-pants; similar of that that Babidi's goons wore, without a shirt to cover his fat abdomen. I cringed, why does the people who can't wear revealing clothes always insist on wearing them; and the people who actually have the body for such clothes, choose not to?

A weird slap horn also wobbled loosely on his forehead and I detected the italic R, ensuring that he is property of Raphael, printed on his forehead.

"And you are?" I directed hesitantly towards the pink ball.

A colourful laugh echoed across the fields from behind Buu; I recognised it Raphael's laugh instantly. His figure suddenly materialized next to the pink sumo-wrestler. "This is Buu; Buu this is the horrible child I told you about." He introduced us.

My eyes widened in shock. That is Buu? I mentally pictured a ruthless looking muscularly person, not _this_…

"Cell, go be useless someplace else…" Raphael ordered in an annoyed voice. Cell bowed to him and teleported away.

A frown played on Buu's brows. He growled and smoke came out of some strange holes on his head; it made the sound of a kettle boiling and I flinched as the shrill sound connected with my ears.

"Buu going to kill boy. Boy make Buu very mad." He stated venomously.

He sounded very illiterate, not looking nearly as dangerous as Supreme Kai described. "Okay big guy. Boy will fight you later." I mimicked the unintelligent vocabulary of the blob. "Now…" I turned my attention to the bigger threat: _Raphael._

"Are you ready to fight me now?" I mocked the destroyer of worlds.

"Boy have no manners. Buu teach boy a lesson." Buu started and stood in a fighting stance, protectively in front of Raphael.

Raphael sighed annoyed and put his hand of Buu's shoulder, restricting him. "As you can see, my ultimate warrior didn't come out very ultimate… A mistake Babidi paid dearly for." He sneered.

My mouth fell agape. "You killed the wizard?" I proclaimed in stunned surprise.

"Yes; the bug got on my nerves." He said in an annoyed voice.

I couldn't help forming a victorious smile on my lips. "That will be your downfall." I smiled brilliantly; that was basically the only hold he had over us and now that _that_ is gone completely, he is definitely done for!

He laughed wildly. "I am glad you think so!"

I chuckled. "So what are you going to do now?" I taunted.

"Not so fast kid, I still have a few tricks up my sleeve." He stated arrogantly.

I scoffed. "Like what?"

He chuckled. "A magician never reveals all their tricks."

He turned his head to the side as he talked to me. "I feel all your comrades are here too." He said while looking in random directions, where the ki's of my friends and allies battled.

"So your plan was to get me all alone, wasn't it?" I fished.

He smiled. "Kudos for figuring it out..." He applauded and turned his head to the sun started to set. It actually created a marvellous array of colours in the sky. Some of the clouds were painted a bright orange colour and other clouds danced in their purple and pink gloss, by the fading sunlight.

"It kind of feels like a date, don't you think?" He mocked without looking at me; he simply stared into the beauty of the sunset. "Feel the slight warm breeze caressing your skin, see the marvellous setting of your planet's sun in the horizon, and hear the birds chirping in the background…" His voice trailed off softly. "Romantic, isn't it?"

I frowned. "A date of death maybe." I countered.

He spun around and looked at me with a fake angry smile on his lips. "How rude…" He exclaimed, apparently shocked.

_He is weird as hell…_ "So since this is a date and all; would you like to dance?" I mocked and gestured the posture of a dancer.

He smiled deviously as he stared in the direction where I felt the ki's of my family, Luna and Kiana battle the Ginyu force. His eyes lit up; I mentally pictured a light bulb dangling above his head, since it looked like he just got a wonderful idea.

"So what brilliant thing has your mind come up with this time?" I asked curiously.

He smiled at me. "Hold that thought…" He said and disappeared, just to reappear again after a mere second with someone dangling unconsciously over his shoulder. I couldn't see who it was, since the feet were facing my way instead of the head-region.

Before I could ask him out about it a sudden explosion, from Raphael's direction, made me tumble forward and fall right into Buu's awaiting arms. The blob surprisingly embraced me tightly to his body, to a degree that made it difficult for me to breathe. I tried to push my way free from his grip, but my arms were dangling loosely from the sides of Buu's arms. A pin and needles feeling shot through my arms as blood flow stopped in my limbs.

"Turn him around blob; I don't want him to miss this." Raphael instructed his big minion. Buu flipped me over so quickly that I didn't have the chance to escape the grip. He held me tightly and I puffed as the wind left my chest; my vision became blurry from the lack of oxygen and my head started to bob downwards before Raphael reprimanded his goon again. "Don't suffocate him you imbecile; I want him alive for this."

Buu lessened his grip and I gasped as air flowed to my lungs again. Raphael gave me a minute or two to recuperate fully. "What do you want me to see you so badly?" I questioned annoyed.

"Look who I found…" His voice trailed off as he dangled the unconscious body of my sister in front of me.

My eyes widened. _No…_ "Let her go!" I found my voice again through the shock. My voice trembled out of fear, not fear for me, but for my sister. I was completely helpless in Buu's grip.

I elbowed Buu in the stomach; desperate to get away from him and to Gomih's side, but my blow vibrated through his fat and shot back to my elbow; causing a more severe shock pain. I repeated these actions quite a few times before I realised it was useless.

Raphael grabbed Gomih by her hair and held her up only by a few strands. That made her wake up; her eyes fluttered slowly as she woke up but widened in horror as her brain registered the pain. She grunted out in pain and shot me a confused gaze, not able to turn her head in his grip to see who held her. I felt my eyes start to water.  
I have to do something quick! I realized and my brain went in overdrive trying to think of a solution.

_Help! Please Dad, Reynard; Gailo! He has my sister and I can't get to her!_ I yelled desperately to my friends in their minds.

_I am coming!_ Dad shot back but I saw through his eyes Captain Ginyu delivering a devastating blow to his cheek, making him tumble down to the ground.

_Sorry bro, but I we are a little occupied._ Reynard excused and I saw that he alone was fighting off Bojack and his goons, which, with the power-boost thanks to Babidi, must be indestructible. I saw Cell fight Gailo in the background through Reynard's eyes also.

Hope fled my body. What am I going to do _now_?

"Please." I begged the destroyer of worlds.

Raphael chuckled. "Don't grovel Gohan, it's beneath you." He stated in a monotone and snapped my sister's neck in one swift motion. I cringed at the sound and my mouth fell open as I saw her eyes turn dull as the life escaped her body. Her eyes held an accusing pang as she fell down to earth like a ragdoll.

Everything went by in slow-motion.

A lot of thing went through my brain. It felt, in the inside, like I was falling down there into the never-ending abyss with her. I felt my heart beating harder, like a drum, against my chest and I felt a pain surround my neck; where hers was snapped. My heart got heavy and it felt like I have just been torn in two.

I saw images of all her happy memories fly by in my mind; I saw moments of her life that I had missed; her first day in a public school; happy moments with her friends; bonding moments with Piccolo; fighting lessons with Vegeta; her first love; her first kiss… But the flashing of blurred images suddenly stopped and paused on a memory where the four of us; Mom, Dad, Gomih and I were besides a river together. I saw it through her eyes… I involuntary slipped into her mind in the last seconds of her life.

*In Gomih's mind*

_Gohan and I, both seven years old at the time, were playing merrily on the valley, no cares in the world. It was the time Dad had just returned from Namek, missing our seventh birthday by a few days; he wanted to celebrate it properly._

We enjoyed a lovely picnic next to the little stream near our house; and to our pleasure, had another birthday cake; it was the third one this week!

Mom and Dad had to go to a boring gala-evening held by Bulma that night, but Gohan and I weren't in the mood to accompany them so we stayed at home, after a heated argument with mother, not trusting us to stay home alone just yet, but luckily we had Dad on our side.

We played and laughed for hours on the mountains and streams, until it became dark. Gohan was very frightened by the dark; I was too, but I wasn't going to let him know that, he would tease me forever!

We stood on top of one of the mountains located about ten miles south from our home; admiring the view. There was no moon that evening, making the night even more dark and ominous. "Gomih, I think we should head home." My little brother suggested as he hugged himself; protecting him from the cold, because he already gave me his jacket.

"Don't be a weenie! Nothing can happen to us out here; we are Saiyans idiot! Nothing in these woods is stronger than us!" I lectured him, but he still didn't seem at ease. 

_I groaned annoyed. "You are such a baby sometimes! Why don't you just grow up?! We are seven now for Pete's sake; practically adults!" I exclaimed._

He raised his eyebrows at me. "If you really think that, you are an idiot." He insulted me, and I fumed. I hated it when he challenged my intelligence. It was enough to be reminded each day by mother that Gohan is the child-prodigy, that Gohan is so perfect… Ugh! I just couldn't take it anymore and I lunged at him.

"Gomih, what are you…" He started yelling as we started tumbling down the high mountain…

Both our little bodies took a horrible beating due to the sharp rocks and bushes sticking out through the giant rock. I remember a pain so sharp, that it paralyzed me, shot through my body each time I bounced down yet another rock. And another… and another…

We were still so young, so we haven't learned about ki-control yet, so we couldn't have stopped our fall. We kept on rolling down the massive rock, and after what seemed like an eternity, something jolted me to a sudden stop.

I opened my sore swollen eyes slowly, just to see my brother, somehow managed to catch himself between a small growth in the mountain, holding on to me for dear life.

"I got you sis…" He encouraged with a voice trembling out of pain. "I will not let you fall, okay? So don't give up on me…"

"Gohan it hurts!" I complained and sniffed loudly as tears started to stream down my face.  


_He managed a small pain-filled smile down to me. "I know…" He gasped out. "But we are Saiyans remember?" He reminded me. "We are stronger than everything out here!"_

"I think we are going to die…" I wailed, ignoring his encouraging words flatly.

"Don't think like that!" He scolded. "You are stronger than you think Mimi; don't give up!" He gasped out. 

_I nodded, but still felt so overwhelmed by the situation, almost positive that I was going to die here…_

We stayed like this for hours, but his grip never faltered, not even a little bit. His muscles started to shake due to fatigue after a while but he just smiled encouragingly at me. "Don't worry about me, sis." He said weakly.

His determined expression on his bruised face that day, burned into my memory. He even kept on muttering encouraging words and cracking jokes, even though he was far worse off than me.

We stayed the entire evening like that, I drifted off to sleep of course, but when I awoke I noticed that his eyes were blood red and puffy. He hadn't slept a wink! 

_Thank goodness Dad, with the help of Piccolo, tracked us down and carried us to safety the next morning. Not even when they carried us away, did he let go of me; Dad had to pry his hands off me._

I found a new admiration for my brother that day. That day I learnt that he would do anything for me; he would go through extreme lengths to protect me...

Gohan; I can feel you are here. I just want to say; I forgive you…

*ends*

Tears welled up in my sockets as the words I yearned for were uttered in her mind. Her mind faded to a mere vapour and I felt her life being sucked away from her body. My heart started to hurt so badly that I couldn't breathe.  
_  
I was dying with her_… I realised; thinking back to what she said, just earlier today about the connection of twins.

Her body fell limp in between a clearing between some trees.

My mind went blank and the only thing I saw was red. Rage seeped through my body like a tsunami as I unleashed my hidden powers. I didn't care who I had to go through; I didn't care who I had to kill. All I knew was that Raphael was going to die under my hands. I was going to enjoy feeling his blood trickling down my arms. I was going to relish in the moment he gasped out his last breath…

My arms shot wide out from my body and I ripped away from Buu's arms; actually tearing them in two as I escaped his 'inescapable' hold.

A bright silver aura; much brighter than the one in my SS3 transformation, formed around my body as I transformed into my SS4 state. My hair spiked upwards and I saw by the visible strand of hair hanging down my forehead how my hair turned brilliant silver.

My muscles bulked bigger than they have ever been to support the massive power now flowing through my veins. I clenched my fist, and lighting played around on my fist; emphasizing the strength and massive power inside me.

"I am going to kill you!" I shrieked out loudly while still in aggravated transition. The words burned in my mouth in lividness. With a final ear-splitting cry I completed my transformation. I saw Raphael standing startled, in my vision.

I sped to his side; so fast that he didn't even see the motion. He exclaimed a shocked cry as my arms curled around his lean waist; starting to crush the life out of him. He gasped as his breath was taken away and I smiled at that sound; it was music to my ears.

I heard and felt some of his ribs crack under my grasp and got goosebumps from the pleasure it caused in my body.

"You like that don't you?" He taunted me with a pained voice. I clenched my teeth at the sound of his voice; I just wanted to rip him to pieces!

"Then you will love my army, captain." He muttered and I felt a strange ki emit from his body. Before I realised what he was doing I was on the other side of the skyline, clutching my head in pain.

He laughed at my agonised expression and drank a healing potion he got out of his pocket. Restoring all the damage I did to him. "You see my dear boy; your power may have increased a load. Much stronger than my whole army combined actually; but what you didn't count on was your mind. The stronger your muscles become, the weaker your mind grows." He chuckled. "You basically have the mental strength of a five year old in this transformation. So thank you for making it easy for me."

My breathing became heavy and later in gasps as I fell to the ground, trembling in pain.

The word 'pain' doesn't describe this excruciating feeling running through my whole body; this agony was in a league of its own, so severe that it requires its own word.

"I have also been in your mind quite a few times these last four years I will have you know." He continued with a snicker. "Have you ever felt dizzy or nauseated for no reason whatsoever, out of the blue?" He asked, waiting for an answer, but I managed all the control I had left and spat in his face.

He sighed angrily as he wiped my spit of his face. "That was me…" He answered, ignoring my disrespectful gesture. "And the fact that you carry so many negative emotions in your mind like guilt and rage made it even easier. I just waited for the moment when you were completely lost in one of those emotions. Like now; so easy to control a little monkey…" He laughed.

"Screw you…" Were the last words I aired to Raphael before the pain completely paralyzed me…

(Reynard's POV)

I froze as the earth started shaking. "What the f…" I breathed in shock as the earth beneath me started tearing apart. A brute punch through the face by Bojack was delivered to my face, due to my carelessness. I retaliated quickly with a head butt which sent the space pirate right in between Gailo and Cell's fight.

"Guys will you take that creep for me; there is something off about Gohan's ki." I noted and Gailo and Veronica nodded. "We feel it too." They said simultaneously.

Magnar just rolled his eyes. "Too much?" He mocked but I ignored him, teleporting immediately to Gohan's location on the other side of the green and blue planet; the gem of the northern quadrant, as they say.

I let out a girlish shriek as a powerful golden wind blew me a few miles south; rolling me like a wave through the sky. I regained my composure after a few more metres. I never thought I would say this, but thank you big bodacious butt! I admired my full behind.

I waited a few more seconds for the strong gust to cease before flying to the location again. He was probably just powering up.

My eyes widened when I saw a still body lay at an unnatural angle between some trees. Curious to see who the fallen warrior was, I floated down between the shrubs. I gasped as I recognised it as Gohan's sister.

I rushed to her and kneeled next to her lull body. I placed two fingers against her neck, searching for a pulse, but couldn't find even the teensiest fragment of one. I noticed that her dull, lifeless eyes were still open. I gently used my fingers to close them. I sighed deeply; so sorry for the loss my friend had to endure…

Guilt seeped through my body. He asked us to come and help him and now she is sleeping with the fishes…

A sudden loud scream jolted my attention back to the battlefield. I was shocked to see Gohan squirming on the ground, clutching his head.

_What did I just miss?!_

I was stunned; just staring at the scene, mouth agape like a ninny, my body to petrify to move. After a while his squirming stopped and he got up to his feet again, brushing himself off. He shot his head to the left and the right, cracking it, and walked over to Raphael.

Raphael whispered something into his ear, actually leaning over his shoulder to say it. I was surprised to see that Gohan allowed his arch nemeses in such close proximity of him. The words were too low for me to pick up, even when I used the ki-manipulation to hear better; _odd..._

I flinched as I saw an orange glow in Gohan's eyes as he spun around and stared directly at me with hatred in his eyes.

In the time span of a single blink, Gohan was in front of me; staring at me with those same eyes, characterised by the destroyer of worlds. I gulped as he smiled a smile that made my blood run cold; a smile I never expected to see on one of the kindest and purest persons in the world I know, having…

I gulped as I saw he retract his fist aiming it directly at my face...

************************************************

_*chills* Did you just get goosebumps too?_

Poor Gohan! And seriously, what is wrong with me? Did I really kill off Gomih in this chapter? I really am a BIG Meany! Oh well, you probably still love me… :D

*Announcer voice* Has Raphael successfully taken over our young hero's mind? Is Gomih really dead? Is poor Reynard going to get punched through the face by a SS4 Gohan? And is Reynard gay (wth was up with him thinking Trunks is a girl?!)? Find out all these and more, in the next chapter of the most awesome fic on this site! :D

Can't wait for next week!  


_SEE YOU!  
XOXO_

_WAAAAAAIIIT! _

_I just realised that my story is over __**100 000 words **__long! WOW! And I just broke the 200 reviews barrier… Thank you all for making it possible, because if you didn't have and keep so much interest in this wonderful tale, I would have given it up months ago! :D_

_Okay, that was all I wanted to say (oh, and did you see the new DBZ abridged episode is out! SOOOO FUNNY! Hahaha XD)_

Okay now I am done… 

_Goodbye (for real this time… *sniff, sniff*)_


	22. Chapter 21: History gets itself Repeated

_Heeeeey there you sexy beast of a reader!_

Howzit going? I am great, thanks for asking! :D Well I am sure you are also doing great, because, the new chapter is out! Hip hip! *hooray* Hip hip! *hooray* 

_Bows out of respect for all the new subscribers and: __9thZFighter, Love this story, Pix, Wildwitch, Billythekid, Vegetaslave87, GokuDeath, RKF22, Vienne, Guest, Candyis4eva, unwanted half Saiyan-demon, rawr, mks 12 98, Sirius Potter2 for taking some time out of their awesome and supah-fabulous lives to review! _

_**9thZFighter**__: I am sure you have probably seen it by now (I hope you have!); Cooler the Abridged movie.. *confused expression* Was this chapter in bold? It all looks normal on my pc! O_0 or maybe my eyes are just giving out.. Noooooooo!_

_**Billythekid:**__ I love getting positive feedback! Sooooo glad you think so! _

_**Candyis4eva:**__ Omw! I hope she gets well very soon! *pc hug* Hope you are doing okay too! _

_**unwanted half Saiyan-demon**__: Hahaha! Great minds think alike! Hahaha, so glad you liked my romantic moment between Rey and Trunks so much! _

_**Rawr:**__ *Shenron voice* Your wish is granted… haha! I hope you like the freak out I wrote in; it is personally my fav Vegeta freak-out of all time! :D_

_**mks 12 98:**__ That does make me a monster, doesn't it? *insert epic evil monster-like laugh* I love being evil! XD_

_**Sirius Potter2:**__ That will indeed be a very suspenseful and interesting journey…_

_**Vienne:**__ Bhahahahahaha! So glad you think so! _

_Enjoy you guys!* _

********************************************  
CHAPTER 21: Repeating of History**

(Gomih's POV)

I groaned in delight as I registered myself residing on something fluffy, but a bright streaming light disturbed my relaxation. I turned over to my other side. "Mom, turn off the light..." I moaned and shot my arm up at the sky, trying to block the incoming incredibly sharp light.

It didn't work, the light bore through my hand and still stung my closed eyes. I sat up straight, annoyed. "Fine, I will do it myself!" I yelled and rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand as I sat up straight.

I froze as I noticed my surroundings. This is not my room... _Where am I? _I wondered as I stared into the never-ending whiteness...

The sky around me was also very misty; it was as if I were standing between the clouds on top of a high mountain. I reached out and tried to grab the thick mist in my palm. I retracted my arm back to my body, in front of my face and stared at my empty, but damp, hand.

"Where am I?" I asked again, this time out loud; not having any recollection on how the hell I got to this dump. I scurried through my brain for answers, but oddly enough, I didn't have the faintest clue of what I did or where I was before I ended up here.

The last thing I remember was being at the tournament; I have just finished fighting Spopovich; but there was something telling me that a major occurrence happened this day, something important, but I just couldn't figure out what it was...

I hit my clenched fist lightly on the side of my head repeatedly, encouraging my brain to remember. "Work you stupid piece of junk, work..." I chanted.

"Ugh!" I yelled out in frustration, when I didn't get anywhere. If only I had my brother's memory, Gohan's mind was eidetic... As soon as I thought my deceased brother's name, a number of images flashed through my mind.

"Son of a..." I breathed. _ I remember now... Gohan returned to earth today; apparently to face off some threat! And we all teamed up to help him fight an evil army of some sort. _It all came back to me; memories of the day swirled around in my mind like a thousand pieces of paper in an angry tornado...

_One moment I was still fighting some weird flamboyant red member of the Ginuy Force and the next thing I knew, I was with... _

_Raphael... _I recalled and goose bumps filled my body as I thought back to his evil blue and orange eyes and scarred face...

My eyes widened as I remembered what happened. My arms shot instinctively to my neck, rubbing it gently. It was snapped. The feeling of his cold, twig-like fingers curling around my neck lingered still on my flesh and made me flinch.

That was the cause of my _death_...

I carefully reached to the top of my head and cringed as I felt the slick exterior of a halo levitating just above me. A heavy feeling flooded my stomach and throat.

"Great, just freaking fantastic!" I yelled, looking up at the sky. "UGH!"

The last image I remember seeing was the shocked, tear-filled brown eyes of my brother, staring down at me as I fell. "Why didn't you stop him_, brother_?" I asked angrily to the sky. "_You_ are supposed to be the strongest person in the universe, but an obese pink, shirtless blob restrained _you_?" I continued with my senseless rant.

I laughed bitterly. "That is life for you!" I started kicking random clouds and punched the mist violently. I was just so angry; angry at Raphael for killing me, angry at Gohan for allowing me to be killed!

I stomped my feet hard against the ground and yelled at the top of my lungs. "I WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO DIE NOW! I AM SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE PRIME OF MY LIFE, NOT THE PRIME OF MY DEATH!" I bellowed so loudly that it echoed across the barren white wasteland.

I took a few forced deep breaths to calm myself._ No way am I staying here_! I decided abruptly. I picked a random direction and decided to dart aimlessly into it, hoping that I would eventually find something other than this bright irritating whiteness.

I sprinted for what seemed like half an hour before my legs gave in out of fatigue. I fell down to the ground on my knees. "Dammit, everything looks the damn same!" I cursed this forsaken land. I placed my hands on the ground too as I panted like a dog from all the exertion. Random drops of sweat dripped off my forehead and fell into the fluffy cloud-like floor.

I felt so dispirited. _Be strong…_ I encouraged myself. _Be strong..._

Just before I could stand up to continue my fruitless quest, a door appeared out of nowhere in front of me. I stood up and looked behind it; it was not attached to anything. Definitely not an ordinary door; must be a portal of some sort.

I walked hesitantly closer towards the door and curled my hand around the round knob. I twisted the knob lightly, opening the massive threshold, only to be greeted by a flood of bright white light, brighter than the white abomination I was currently held it. It light was so dazzling that it burned my eyes.

I shielded my eyes with my hands, but trotted through the door, kind of hypnotized, like a gnat heading towards a lamp.

My bare feet suddenly came in contact with velvet... I opened my eyes again, slowly, making sure that no bright light will stun me.

My mouth fell open as I perceived the breathtakingly beautiful surroundings. I went to sit on my haunches and ran my fingers through the delicate emerald green grass. It actually looked edible, but I suppressed the urge to go down on all fours and devour the sweet-looking plant.

The soft texture of the grass caressed my hands as I looked up at the brilliant lavender-colored skyline with awe. Beautiful midnight-blue mountain-series' also decorated the beautiful valley.

Getting distracted by the softness of the grass, I fell down on my stomach and rubbed my face against it, caressing my features. I let out a deep breath. _This is nice, softer than silk..._

I heard footsteps near my vicinity and reluctantly opened my eyes. I noticed a set of brown sandals near my face. Without pulling my head up, my eyes travelled upwards from the sandals, trying to see the owner of the skinny feet.

A long purple robe fell down to the person's ankles, but I couldn't see his face from my current view, the sun was blocking it.

I saw him extend his arm towards me, but I didn't accept it. I placed both my arms on the ground for support, and used my upper body strength to push myself up. I jumped up to my feet in one swift motion and crossed my arms defensively across my chest as I surveyed the person with the brown old-timey sandals.

I gaped at his perfect features; his nose was straight, in perfect symmetrical harmony with his oval-shaped face. He had a strong yet soft jaw line and cheekbones. His eyes were the most beautiful and interesting color combination of brown and blue I have ever witnessed in my life. The dominant color was blue, but random specs of brown lined around the pupil and iris. They had a certain depth to it, a depth so deep that I couldn't even begin to comprehend it. Long, thick silver hair flowed down his shoulders to the small of his back; very slick.

He chucked as he saw my eyes travel up and down his body. "Done scrutinizing me?" He asked in a musical voice; a voice that sounded like the churning of soft church bells. I simply nodded with a slight blush on my cheeks; embarrassed that he caught me staring.

I wanted to ask him who he was and how I arrived here, but his mere presence stunned me, rendering me totally speechless. It was like he was emitting a holy power, which I was too shallow to be in an audience with...

"To answer your first question, I am the Magisterial Kai, the leader of all Kai's. It is my job to oversee the universe and keep an overall peace between all galaxies." He explained with a smile. "I am sure your brother has told you about me." He winked.

My mouth fell open in surprise. The bastard totally just read my mind, but that isn't important now... "I have wanted to ask this since Gohan had first mentioned you…" My voice trailed off and I stared straight up into his warm eyes; he was a great distance taller than me.

"From what I have heard about you, you are very powerful and mighty, but yet you allow the bad to live. Why can't you just take out all the evil people in the world now, and get it over with. The world would be a much better place!" I laid my argument.

He smiled softly. "If I had to kill off every single bad person in the universe there would be no one left; I would have to kill everyone, because there is no person in all the galaxies who doesn't have a trace of evil residing inside them." He stated calmly.

I frowned. "Okay, fair enough, but you are still allowing bad things happen to good people, why?"

"Why does your mortal father not protect you from every virus, germ, or knee-scrape?" He asked rhetorically. "Some things you must learn on your own - or you'll be weak and fragile." He stated wisely. "Through hardships you learn who your real friends are and who you can count on fully, you learn about the value of life and how precious it really is, you learn how to be a better person…" His voice trailed off. "For it is not what you have been through that defines who you are, it is how you got through it, that has made you the person you are today. It all lies in your choices…"

I swallowed down the emotional feeling building up in my throat and frantically blinked the tears away. I have never thought about it like that…

I cleared my throat. "So you really are that Magisterial dude who Gohan trained under?" My voice held a vast amount of disbelief.

He chuckled again. "Indeed." He confirmed happily.

"But you are so... old..." I blurted out without thinking.

He nodded solemnly. "I have been here since the existence of the world." He confirmed. "But I have not brought you here to talk about my age. There are much more important matters at hand..." His voice trailed off.

I nodded, remembering the happenings on earth. "Yeah, no kidding..."

"I am sure you are aware that Gohan's mind has been being taken over by Raphael..." His voice held a melancholy tone.

I gasped and my mouth fell open in shock. "No, I was not aware of that!" I nearly shouted. I pointed to my halo. "I have been too occupied dying!"

He sighed. "Well, that was actually the occurrence that made my dear pupil snap, giving Raphael the opportunity to take over his mind." He explained.

I frowned angrily. "Don't blame me for that, old man!" I yelled.

He raised his hands defensively in the air. "That is not the case; in fact, Raphael has steadily brainwashed Gohan over the years. I blame myself for not noticing it..." His voice was filled with guilt. He sighed sadly, "What is done is done..." He stated. "We will just have to play best with the cards we were dealt with."

"So why am I here? You said something about having a reason for summoning me." I asked curiously and to the point.

He smiled. "You are going to save the galaxy."

I scoffed. "Me?" I pointed in disbelief to myself. "How?" I felt very pessimistic; Raphael already killed me so I wasn't very hopeful...

"Have you perhaps seen your brother's sword?" He asked.

I nodded. "Yes! That thing is super sharp!" I exclaimed. "I saw him slice Dabura, the Demon King, in two with one light swipe from that bad boy!" I admired.

He nodded. "That is the one... _That _mighty sword has a brother; Excalibur..." His voice sounded galaxies away. "According to legend, the sword is so powerful that it can neutralize any form of magic and the power of evil. It is not quite as powerful as the Z-sword itself, but still a force to be reckoned with. Legend also states that the sword and its wielder become one; your harness the strength and abilities of the mighty weapon and vice versa. If you can just master the sword, you alone can save the galaxy."

I scoffed nervously. "No pressure... So where is the sword?" I asked, looking around me.

"Well, that is the thing. I don't know." He declared and my mouth fell open.

"Then why did you just tell me about it?! Do you like giving people false hope?" I accused.

"I have a map..." He defended.

"Then let's stop wasting time and go find the friggin weapon!" I exclaimed and took a few aggravated steps forward, only to stop as I noticed that I didn't have the faintest idea where to go.

"I applaud your enthusiasm." He complemented and spun around, talking my arm in his head as he lead me.

I used my right hand to pry his fingers off my arm. "Nothing personal mister, but I am not very keen on physical contact with strangers." I said. "You can lead the way and I will follow you." I compromised.

He nodded understanding, and took the lead; he was now a few paces ahead of me while I followed loyally like a lapdog. We walked over a small hill and I gasped as I perceived even more beautiful surroundings; waterfalls, flowers, trees, valleys etc all smiled proudly on the magnificent landscape.

"This is my realm by the way." He declared as he noticed my stunned expression.

"No kidding..." I gasped as I saw a beautiful lake glistering in contact with the sun. A cozy little cabin was located on the east side of the lake. Seems like a place I would easily reside in...

"That is your brother's chamber." He pointed to the little cabin I just admired.

"Awesome!" I started to walk off the trail in the direction of the cabin, wanting to see the condition of his accommodations, but a force, forced my legs in the original direction, without my consent.

"Hey, beardy, are you doing this?!" I asked annoyed and he ignored me.

"There is no time..." He mumbled after a while.

I rolled my eyes at him and begrudgingly followed again. We walked down some steps until we reached a huge manor that will put the biggest and extravagant mansion on earth to shame.

"Welcome to my humble abode." He said as we walked through a mahogany threshold. We walked into a medieval-themed den: the couches were all old fashioned and dull-colored, mostly brown and a light black. The wall was plastered with dark wood, and dark oak furniture decorated the den. A few relic weapons like swords, spears, battle axe's, daggers and mace's claimed the walls next to some relic portraits. A few stray heads of stuffed animals, I have never seen before, also pranced on the walls.

His home was very cosy. A fire crackled away in the centre of the room and warmed the area up nicely.

He led me pass the big den and into a corridor; it had a similar decorative style as the den. We walked in silence to a colossal staircase and walked up it. I was greeted with hundreds, if not thousands of doors, staring back at me as I reached the top of the stairs.

He led me to another small staircase, probably consisting of not more than ten steps. He paused and I saw a monstrosity of a door in front of him. He placed his open palm on the giant entry and it suddenly swung open, showing off a giant room full of books.

The bookcases towered over me greatly. My mouth fell agape as I saw that the books ran up till the ceiling and what seemed for miles into the room. There must be millions, no billions, no trillions of books in this margin. Just think about all the knowledge all these racks contain…

I stood in the threshold and watched him as he walked over to a certain section immediately, without hesitations, as if he knew exactly where each and every book was located. _How can he be so organized?_ I admired as he ran his fingers through a few books before taking one out of the case.

"The other one I am looking for is not here..." He declared as he gave the book to me. "Atlas to and between the realms…" I read aloud and started to page aimlessly through the hardback. I smiled as I sniffed in the moldy 'old book smell'. This smell has always had a pleasant association with my nose.

"I am just going to go check in his cabin." He said and started back down the mini staircase.

"Can I maybe tag along?" I asked, eager to see the place Gohan had spent six years of his life.

"Of course; just follow me..."

We walked down the stairs, through the corridor and den back to the outside. I smiled as I heard the soft singing and gleeful chirps of birds in the nearby trees.

We headed in the direction I remember spotting the pond. We didn't walk far; we only crossed another small hill before the quant cabin came in sight. It was surrounded with its own little white picket fence and lots of pretty flowers smiled next to the little grey stoned path to the door.

The door creaked as he opened it. A nature-like and musky wood scent flew from the cabin and overwhelmed my senses. _It is nicely furnished, _I thought as I stepped through the door, directly into a miniature den. The colour scheme of the room was very light and happy: the walls were a pure white with a matching grey lounge area and cosy fireplace. A few evergreen-plants like ferns and lilies were held in pots across the room.

I followed Magisterial Kai through the corridor; the wooden floor creaked under my feet as I walked. I peeked through a slightly opened door and saw that it was the bathroom. I frowned at the tidiness of the cabin; Gohan is one of the messiest people I know!

I turned around and went through the door the Kai was currently in. This must be his room…

I smiled as I saw the light blue bedcover lay spread across the floor and clothes and gi's lay scattered over the entire room, even on his desk! A wet damp-smelling towel peeked from under the bed and the closet's doors hung open, showing off his disorganized arrangement of clothes.

I chuckled. "That's the Gohan I know…" I said under my breath. "He has always been messy." I directed to Magisterial as I noticed a half-eaten grill cheese sandwich on his stand.

Magisterial chuckled with me. "That he is." He agreed with me. "But I like it; he doesn't pretend that he is someone he really isn't to impress others; what you see is what you get." He smiled lovingly. "That makes him more real."

I scoffed internally. Gohan has always been the favorite of the two of us since diaper days... The jealous feeling I felt most of my childhood surfaced once again. I shook the green-monster feeling off and turned to Magisterial who was thrashing through the books all over the room.

"Need some help?" I offered.

He scurried through a bundle of books that lay randomly on Gohan's desk and exclaimed in delight. "Here it is!" He exclaimed happily and flipped through the pages.

He stopped and stared at a certain page for a few seconds before flashing it towards me. "This is what I want you to find."

I studied the black and white picture of the sword. 'Excalibur' was captioned underneath the image. "Okay," I agreed as I memorized the appearance of the weapon. "When do we leave?"

He chuckled. "No my dear, you are going alone." He stated and my mouth fell open.

I opened the atlas again and flipped to the page he had marked. "You want me to travel through the..." I studied the map closer, "Treacherous taverns solo?" I gasped out as I pointed to the location.

He nodded. "It is not all that treacherous. There is just a small collection of monsters and trolls located on the path, but I am almost positive you can handle it."

I scoffed. "Almost..?" I repeated his words in a high voice.

He frowned. "Don't you think you can do it?"

I shook my head slowly. "I know I am strong, but I don't think I am experienced enough to take on a collection of monsters and trolls… Why can't you do it?" I questioned.

He smiled. "I am not a mortal, and that is just a quest a mortal can achieve." He explained and I slumped my shoulders.

"You got to be kidding…" I breathed. "You have other members of your guard or whatever, use them!" I pleaded, not in the mood for the quest.

"You are here, and we are running out of time." I reasoned.

"Fine, at least help me with the map then." I bargained, it had no pictures, only a dotted line with an 'X' and lots of written explanations I didn't understand.

He smiled apologetically. "I can't; I am an immortal, those pages are blank for my eyes." He explained. "All I can do is point you in the right direction..."

I sighed. "I guess there is no other option if I want to save my brother and the others, now is there?"

"I am afraid not." He answered. "So where does the book say the sword is located?" He asked.

I studied the top of the map, searching for the location. "Uhm, the realm of Thanos..."

"I will send you there." He extended his arms, with open palms, towards me. "Good luck." He breathed and teleported me away before I could protest.

It felt like my body disintegrated into a million pieces and recollected itself when I landed. I shivered out of disgust. That was a terrible and uncomfortable feeling...

A warm, wet feeling spread from my feet to my knees. I took a deep breath, steadying myself before I looked down. I was shocked to see that I was knee-deep in a swamp now, sinking deeper into it.

I sighed and released some of my ki as I flew out of the thick mud, happy that I wasn't a girly-girl.

I levitated in the sky as I perceived my environs. I was surrounded by a thick array of forests. I smiled happily' I thought this place would have been a barren wasteland; I was pleased to be in the midst of a jungle. I breathed in the sweet oxygen-filled smell which always accompanied an abundance of vegetation.

I studied the map again and saw that my first milestone was called the frowning mountain.

I sighed. Old-timey maps suck… _This was going to be a long day_... I thought dispiritedly as floated down again and trotted through the trees. I jumped over numerous fallen tree-stumps and veins before I came in a clearing, resulting in me almost falling off a cliff. I shrieked as I fell but used my ki-control to catch me. "Phew!" I exclaimed in relief as I wiped a few stray drops of sweat of my forehead.

I flew back up the cliff and sat on the ground. As I sat I saw that the opposing mountain had a face-like carving. _The frowning mountain! _I realized as I recognized my first milestone...

I slowly started to fly to the other side of the fall, but just before I could land on the other height, a strong gust sucked me in and made me collapse on the ground below. I shook of the dizzy feeling resulted by the spiraling fall. I took a deep breath and stared up; my mouth fell open as I realized how high the cliff towered over me now.

I stood up on my feet and jumped up in the air, only to be sucked back to the ground. I tried it once more but still fell flat on my butt. "Ugh!" I yelled out in frustration and decided to climb up the massive riser, my easy way out wasn't bringing me anywhere.

My muscles were starting to burn from all the exertion. Why did I have to eat that extra doughnut at Bulma's today? I cursed myself as I climbed, slowly, but steadily up the mountain. After what seemed like an eternity did I reach the top and pulled myself up the cliff.

I slithered on to the giant rock with my belly and stayed like that for a few minutes, catching my breath. I got up in a sitting position and got the map out of my pocket.

Seems like I have to head five miles south now... Loosening my muscles, and pushing past the fatigue barrier, I started to sprint into the clearing but fell flat on my back as I collided with something. As I opened my eyes I saw a family of six trolls.

I jumped up quickly and ducked underneath their grasps, but one of them _caugh_t me by surprise, literally. They restricted me faster than I could say _'what the hell'_ and tied me onto a pole. They dragged me through the deep forests. Each time I tried to escape one of the other five's approaching hands was always there to stop me.

After a while of struggling, I decided to give in, waiting to see where they carry me before I turned heavy assault mode on again.

After about two miles, we reached, what seemed to be their camp. They instantly placed me on a revolving stick over a fire and walked away, leaving only two of the trolls to guard me.

"You wouldn't like Saiyan-meat." I suggested towards one of the ugly-looking trolls. "We are very bitter." The two of them replied with a primitive yell and I was slapped through the face by the littlest troll of the two.

I pouted angrily. "I give you recipe-advice, and this is how I get repaid?" I asked and they tried to slap me again, but I broke my arm free of the tight rope and grabbed the both trolls' approaching hands in my fist.

"Listen Buster, I have had a really bad day..." My voice trailed off menacingly. "My twin who I haven't seen in six years, arrived home again, _and _to put the cherry on the cake, I died today, so don't get on my hit-list, okay?"

I threw their fists back to them, making both of them punch themselves in the face and fall to the ground, tumbling off the gradient they climbed to get up here. I chucked at that wipeout.

The other trolls heard the ruckus and darted to me too, but I used my lower body strength to get the pole out of the ground and swing it around, making it go through mama-troll's face. I transformed mid-air into Super Saiyan, making the pole disintegrate underneath me.

"You losers have nothing on me!" I yelled as I saw the other trolls come out of their cave with some seasoning and matches. Their faces fell as I sped away.

I stopped flying when I noticed that I was a safe distance away and stared at the map, searching for my next clue. I must admit, I was actually enjoying this!

"Snake-like water source…" I read aloud. I pouted as I pondered the words around in my thoughts. I looked around me, trying to see if something matching the map's criteria was in my view. I smiled as I saw the turbulent flowing river underneath me. "Snake-like water source!" I exclaimed as I put two and two together. _Move over Einstein, there's a new girl in town!_

According to this map, I have to dive in the river and find a secret cavern located on the farthest southern point of the stream; the sword is apparently hidden in there.

Not wasting any more time, I dived like a dolphin into the ice-cold water. I immediately came back up again, gasping for air, having swallowed gallons of water due to the coldness that made my body go into a small shock. I shook the bewildered feeling off and swam down again.

I started to swim in the direction I thought was south. Please be south, please be south. I chanted in my mind repeatedly. I don't have the strength to make another trip down this lengthy river.

I searched around me for any sign of a cave, but couldn't see anything. I went to the surface to get air again, but scurried down again instantly. I swam forward and looked around me frantically. To my delight I saw an opening stick out like a sore thumb in the bright river.

I frantically used my arms and legs as oars and flashed to the insides of the cave. I was happy to see the cave was, strangely, not filled with water. I could breathe easily.

Shaking the water off my body, I got up and walked straight, the only direction available in the cave. Crystals of every color imaginable aligned the top and sides of the cave and made it light up quite nicely.

The deeper I walked into the cave, the bigger it became. I gasped as I walked into a perfectly circular room in the cave. The walls were plastered with even more crystals, shining out their pretty colours like a rainbow. In the middle of the chamber there stood a small temple of pure crystal and diamonds.

The temple was exquisitely beautiful, carved with the utmost care and attention to detail. Grand statues lined the hall to the temple and fountains poured water into small crystal in graceful streams.

I jumped up the three steps up to the temple's entrance and gaped as I witnessed a grand crystal pedestal in the centre of the shrine. A grand crystal-like sword rested casually on the pedestal. My eyes widened in awe.

This is it…

I curled my fingers gently around the crystal sword and picked it up with ease. I was surprised to see how tall the sword was, about half my height! The sword's blade was a sleek white crystal with a strange yet intriguing metallic blue shine to it. The hilt of this beauty was an odd grey color, but it perfectly complemented the appearance of the weapon. Carvings of strange symbols I didn't understand were engraved in the sword's hilt.

I ran my fingers over the sleek blade.

I curled both my hands tighter around the slick hilt of the sword and made graceful slices in the air. The sword sliced effortlessly in my hold and started glowing when I rested it on the ground; my arms tired from holding it. It was pretty heavy!

I stared at it with amazement as it changed from color: blue, pink, vermillion, until it paused with a violet shine. I felt a strange feeling rush through my body and was surprised to sense my ki emitting from the sword.

My mouth fell opened. We seriously just traded out our abilities and powers!

I did a little happy-dance with the sword in my arms. The feeling was so overwhelming… I can't describe it!

Now how do I get back? I wondered and I suddenly felt that nasty feeling that goes with teleportation over galaxies fill my body. Oh yeah, he reads minds…

I fell on my face onto the velvet grass, my sword plopping down next to me too. I was greeted again by those peculiar brown sandals.

Accepting his hand this time, he pulled me up and stared intrigued at the sword embedded in the ground. "You got it." He observed in amazement.

I smiled proudly. "Sure did, so now what?"

"Hmmm…" He pondered. "I sense you have some hidden potential." He noted and extended his arm to my shoulder, but before he could touch me, his eyes met mine. "May I?" He asked; probably remembering my comment about my personal space.

I nodded and he placed his hand on my shoulder, adding a little pressure to it. My flesh became numb under his grip and I saw him close his eyes. A bright white aura circled around his body and in a few seconds it engulfed my body as well.

He let go of his grip and I yelped as I felt a weird energy seep though my entire body. He just stood there, watching me while leaning on his cane. A feeling, as if my whole body was being stretched, flew through my body and I let out a final scream of discomfort and pain before falling to the ground. The aura-thing ceased from my body and I heaved on the grass.

"Marvelous!" He exclaimed. "It was more than I had expected..." His voice trailed off.

What was he talking about? I thought groggily as I got up. I groaned and put my hand to the side of my throbbing head. "What did you do to me?" I asked weakly.  
"Give it a moment…" He hushed.

I regained my composure and relished in the feeling of a higher strength flowing through my body_._

I felt much stronger...

I clenched and unclenched my fist over and over again, loving the new feeling of a strong ki running though my body.

"Power up to your maximum." He instructed, interrupting my admiration.

I nodded eagerly without hesitation, curious to test my new power.

I shook my body looser and did a few stretches before I got in my power-up stance. I clenched my teeth as I released every fragment of power I had in my petite body. I felt my long ponytail spike up higher than usual, in my Super Saiyan form, and my muscles bulked bigger than they have ever did before, actually tearing a part of my gi.

I felt wonderful.

The extreme power flowed lovingly through my veins and made me gasp out in delight. Lightning played on my body and I was fascinated by the mere intensity of the situation. "I have reached the second Super Saiyan transformation!" I exclaimed happily and punched and kicked the air a few times.

He smiled at me. "Yes, now you have a mission to complete."

Oh yeah... I kind of got lost in the moment. "Yup," I picked up the sword and held it firmly in my grasp; its weight not an issue in my new evolved transformation. "I guess I must head back to earth now?" I speculated.

He frowned. "Good heavens no!" He exclaimed. "You first must get used to the sword."

My mouth fell open. "No offence mister, but time is kind of against us."

"Time goes by slower in my realm than in your world. And I have a chamber on my planet where you can get an entire year's worth of training in one day." He stated.

"Like a hyperbolic time chamber?" I asked. "We have one on earth too!"

"I know…" he breathed. "A Kai introduced the Room of Spirit and Time to your home planet; interestingly enough, it is the only other one out there in the galaxy, besides mine." He stated and I let out an impressed whistle. "Awesome!"

"Now, shall we transform you into an elite fighter?" He asked like a gentleman.

I nodded with a toothy smile on my lips. "We shall…"

(Gohan's POV)

It was as if I were in third person in my own body. I was there, yet I wasn't. I saw the actions _he_ done through my eyes, I felt the motion of the mangled flesh connecting with _his_ fist through my hands and I felt the adrenaline-pumped smile forming on _his_ lips, through my mouth.

But I had no feeling; I was a mere prospector in my own body... Seeing and feeling, faintly, the motions it went through, but not commanding it to do so in the first place.

But oddly enough, I still felt _me_; it was as if I retained a fragment, no matter how small, of _my_ personality, of my _real,_ noble and good personality, and not that of the killing machines', whose eyes I saw through right now.

Miraculously I kept a piece of my identity in the process of Raphael taking over my mind. I wonder if he knows that I am still here...

Even though I am a weak and insecure persona, in what used to be _my_ mind, it still gives me faith. A tiny speck of hope glimmered in my heart.

I _can_ overcome this, I _will_ overcome this.

I watched helplessly as my dearest friend was being beaten to a pulp by _my_ hands. His face jerked back and forth with an agonized expression on his face within my grasp. But I couldn't do anything.

I could merely watch...

I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms around my legs, hugging myself. I rocked back and forth, chanting _'go away, go away, go away'_ over and over in my mind.

This is kind of complex; I have my own mind and thoughts inside the mind and thoughts of my evil alter ego...

_You are simply a tenant in my mind, and it's time to pay the rent!_ A voice, kind of resembling my own, just with a deeper ring to it, sneered loudly. I looked around the vast dark chamber I was held in.

_Who just said that?_ I thought loudly, not being able to talk in here.

An irritated scoff bounced off the dark walls, followed by me falling on my back. I groaned loudly, I didn't expect to feel pain in here. _I hate it when people ask dumb questions._ The same voice complained. _I am you, dumbass, and you are me...  
_  
_I figured as much..._ I said arrogantly and my evil side laughed.

_I don't know why you stayed behind... But you are not here to stay._ Steel chains suddenly bind tightly around my wrists and ankles, with an anchor like object weighing me down too. I tried tugging on the chains, but that just made the grip tighter.

_Yes little monkey, keep tugging, and keep tugging..._ He repeated sinisterly.

I fell limp in the chains_. There is no point..._ I thought dispiritedly and I felt him nod vigorously.

_That is the spirit soldier..._ He praised, but his happy-ish attitude suddenly turned hostile. _You pest, you distracted me_, He scolded, _and now that string bean friend got away! Oh how I wish you were real, so I could punch you, oh wait..._ A sudden shock went through my body, paralyzing me and making me fall forward, the chains chafing my limbs.

_I can… _He started laughing violently.

I ignored his disgusting bellows. There is no way I am going to let a douche like that stay in my body. I will find a way, I just have to!

_I am going to fight...  
_  
(Reynard's POV)

I flew as fast as my withered bodacious body could carry me. I flew with half a limp, leaning to the right side in pain as I clutched my dislocated shoulder. Damn, he can sure give a beating, I am actually surprised to be alive and, as a matter of fact, be able to function.

I wondered what distracted him though; his beady little red and orange eyes became distant as he started to beat me slower and slower and slower until he stopped, giving me the perfect chance to get away.

But who am I to complain?

_Sup Gailo?_ I got the attention of the lead of our miniature army.

_Not much; probably just Cell's guts_, he laughed, _just blasted the bastard to oblivion. He will now roam the remainder of his eternity in space!_ He declared victoriously. _In fact we all defeated our enemies, even the earthlings! I must say I am impressed._ He rambled on aimlessly.

_That is great_... I interrupted his next trail of thought. _But we have a little situation over here..._ My voice trailed off.

I could feel his mind tighten in alarm. _What is it? What did Raphael do?_

I managed a weak chuckle, but flinched as it trembled through my body, making the pain-filled limbs hurt even more. _One step at a time captain, I joked. I will flare my ki for you, come and get me?_ I asked nicely.

He frowned. _Are you hurt?_  
_  
Not at all! _ I said sarcastically and flared my ki for a fraction of a second and the next thing I knew Gailo was next to me. He looked me over and without a word teleported me to Kiana. She rushed worriedly over to me and placed her hands instantly on my chest. "Rey, what did you do this time?" She questioned with blame in her voice as she started to resurrect my energy.

"You would not believe it..." I countered. I waited in angst for my last remaining power to be healed. I jumped up instantly when all my energy was returned and turned to Gailo and the others. I whistled and everyone started to drum around me by the call.

"We have a little situation..." I started.

"What?" Gailo asked on behalf of everyone.

"Well..." I pondered sentences in my mind, not sure how to phrase the situation accurately.

"Where are Gohan and Gomih?" I remember the man as Gohan's father, direct towards me.

I swallowed hard. "You see..." I started, but hesitated, not sure how to say it. They all stared at me with suspense in their eyes. "Gomih is dead..." I finally blurted out and I saw Gohan's dad and the lavender haired cross dresser's eyes widen in shock.

"What, when?" The dad finally asked.

"Not too long ago actually, but don't fret, she is probably with Magisterial right now..." I figured he would recruit her too. She is such an amazing fighter; she could probably outwit and outfight half of the current guard; me excluded of course...

"I can't believe she is gone..." Lavender boy mourned.

"Suck it up..." I muttered insensitively, annoyed that I didn't get the chance to say what I wanted to. "If you don't get your act together, you are going to join her soon!" Ernst was imprinted in my voice.

All their gazes fell to something behind me. I snapped my fingers in front of their faces. "Hello! I am talking here!" I said annoyed and Luna grabbed my jaw between her soft fingers and twisted my head in the direction they were all staring, mouths agape, in.

I gasped. "He stole my punch line!" I accused my, now _evil_, best friend. "I was just going to tell them about you!" I exclaimed and "Gohan" laughed.

"I am not sorry." He cackled evilly.

"Rey, what is going on?" Kiana's frightened little voice trembled behind me.

"Let _me_ explain..." Raphael and a pink blob suddenly appeared out of nowhere next to Gohan.

"You took over his mind...?" Gailo put two and two together.

Raphael pouted. "Well aren't you a little party-pooper?" He directed towards Gailo.

My eyes never left that of my bestie's. I haven't had time to scrutinize him, since our encounter left me with two swollen eyes, making it nearly impossible to see clearly.

_His_ eyes were hardened, as if cruelty was embedded in his sockets and his eyes were vermillion red with an orange ring around the pupil of the eyes, matching Raphael's

His muscles also looked more defined but that was probably due to his SS4 transformation and _not _the mind-ambush. His usual bright golden halo, (our haloes as protectors are a brighter and more prominent gold than the other haloes of ordinary dead people), turned coal black; a black so dark and severe that it hurt my eyes.

"Gohan Noooo!" Draco started to freak out behind me, startling my ass off. He pulled on the two little horns sticking out from his head. "Crap, crap, crap…" He repeated as he rocked back and forth.

"I am going to kill that mind-stealing punk!" He started to yell. My mouth fell open and my eyes dropped to the ground as I saw a red fire-like aura surround his body as he charged energy I didn't even know he had.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH H!" He yelled at the top of his small lungs; we all threw our hands over our ears to block the loud volume.

"What's that, Gohan?" I heard the blob ask in his high-pitched annoying voice.

"Pure rage, Buu; pure rage..." Gohan replied bored, but I sensed a tad of surprise clinging to his voice.

_Meanwhile on King Kai's planet…_

King Kai: Why did I drink that five gallon jug of coffee? Dammit Bubbles! You know caffeine goes right through me!

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH H!"

King Kai: *awkward silence* Well, *deep breath*, I don't have to pee anymore…

_Meanwhile in otherworld..._

King Yemma: Huh, Denise, Denise is that you? Oh crap, is that my wife? LEAVE ME ALONE! YOU ALREADY TOOK THE KIDS; WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT!?

_Meanwhile on Magisterial's realm…  
_  
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH H!"

Magisterial: What is that ghastly noise?

_Meanwhile 15 years into the future..._

Draco's child: *sniff, sniff* With this time machine I built I can go back and prevent Dad being killed by Raphael…

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH H!"

Draco's child: ...Daddy?

(Gohan's POV)

"Ugh! I cannot take it anymore!" _He_ yelled and aimed a blast at Draco. My eyes widened as I saw the blast head directly towards Draco with a lightning speed… _DOOOOOODGE!_ I yelled in my mind, but it didn't reach their ears, it only made my evil ego flinch.

At the last minute I saw Reynard tackled Draco away from the blast, making it explode on earth's surface instead. I let out a deep relieved sigh. _So close…_

I felt the anger radiate from _his_ body. "You think you are a though guy?" _He_ sneered evilly, transporting to Reynard and grabbed him by the collar of his gi. I admired my friend who didn't hold a trace of fright in his eyes.

"No," He sneered back equally menacingly. "I am _THE_ tough guy." He replied wittily and threw _his_ hand off his body.

"We will see about that…" _He_ said under _his_ breath. I tried to poke into the inner mechanisms of _his _mind to find out what _he_ was planning, but I wasn't strong enough. _His_ mind was well protected...

I felt _his_ lips twist into a sinister smile and _he_ flew so fast to the upper part of the earth in _his_ SS4 form. He extended _his _arms to the ground below to Buu and Raphael, indirectly teleporting them up here with us.

"I can't leave without my dear right- and left hand men, now can I?" _He_ taunted lovingly and Raphael scowled.

"Remember who created you..." Raphael reminded _him_ with a sour tone, but my evil alter-ego tried to reach for his neck; I actually saw thoughts about killing Raphael run through _his_ mind, but instead a pain shot through_ his_ head, severe enough for me to feel it to; vibrating through my own mind.

"I am your master and you are my slave..." Raphael stated in authority and my evil side begrudgingly nodded.

"Thanks Buu." Raphael thanked the pink blob and _my _second selffrowned.

"What are you thanking the fatass for?" _He_ asked and Raphael chuckled.

"Buu has this certain morphing ability; I made him morph with Babidi, so he took over all Babidi's wizarding power. Double threat, don't you think?" He mocked. "Why else do you think did I keep the useless blob alive?"

My evil side didn't reply, _he _turned _his_ attention back down to earth and muttered "Fireworks..." under _his_ breath.

I gasped as I saw _his_ plan flash through _his _mind. _NO!_ I yelled as loudly as I could in _his_ mind, making him flinch. _As soon as I figure I how to get rid of you, you're gone!_ _He_ threatened and tightened my chains. I thrashed against them violently but to no avail; they were stronger than ever!

_He_ lifted his finger above _his_ head and a blast started forming. It started as the size of a soccer ball, but gradually built up into a colossal ball approximately twice earth's original size and bright red, reminding me of the surface of the sun.

I used all my willpower and strength to try and take back my body, or even just to access my arm for a second, to direct the blast away from my family, but I was too weak.

A gleeful smile colored _his_ lips, and I growled in disgust as I actually felt the happy gesture form on _my_ lips, as _he_ flicked his finger, resulting in the blast plummeting towards earth.

I used all my remaining willpower and thrashed against my bindings even more violently, but it still didn't work. I cursed as a feeling of utter uselessness filled my body.

My eyes widened as the blast started to penetrate earth's surface, making the planet shake intensely. _Earth is going to explode!_ I though in dismay and felt a few tears trickle down my cheek.

The power of the blast was so great that it cancelled all my other senses completely; the only ki I could feel was _its, _nothing else.

I fell down to my knees and sobbed as I saw my planet, _my home_, being reduced to rubble. A sudden bright light flashed intensely, before the planet completely disintegrated into nothing.

I felt so, numb, as I saw the dust, the only thing left of the beautiful blue planet, swift past me in space.

I frantically searched for _their_ ki's, but I couldn't locate it. Did they escape safely, or wasn't there enough time, resulting in them going down with the gem of the northern quadrant..? My mind went into a never-ending frenzy with random, mostly negative, scenarios.

My heart shattered into a million pieces with the planet. I wanted to curse, scream, rage, cry out in fury, but not a single sound came out of my mouth. All I could do was weep…

***********************************  
_What did you think? Remember, I love hearing ALL you guys' feedback!  
_

_*Deep announcer voice* Will Gomih be able to master Excalibur in time? How is Gohan going to regain control? What will the others think when they hear about earth's KABOOM? Where will Raphael, Buu and EVIL Gohan head to next? Or will they maybe just float aimlessly above where earth used to be, in space like a couple of weirdoes? Find out everything in approximately one week!*_

Happy week wishes for you guys! :D


	23. Chapter 22: Mission: Save the world

_*gangster gestures* Hey there my peepz!_

Guess what? My braces came off! (Yes, I had braces hahaha! ) I am so happy! I can eat toffees again! XD *happy dance*

Hope you are excited about the new chapter! What am I asking; of course you are! :D

A warm welcome to all the new readers, subscribers and followers and a bone-crushing high5 for _IStoleYourBanannasSoNowWhat (Epic name btw! Love it! :D), crinklecut, Ky111, Datu824, dannes, Vegetaslave87, bridgetjones, crashbreaka, AnimeLuver2323, Sirius Potter2, Vienne, Rawr and RKF22 for reviewing! ___

_crashbreaka: Thank you for the constructive criticism! I appreciate it, and you will see that I took your advice! Everything is written out completely now! *high 5!* :D Hahaha, yes that is indeed me; it is an awesome hat, isn't it? : )_

Oeh, I was browsing through Deviantart the other day and saw this pic by celyne: art/DBZ-Son-Kochi-134533918?q=boost%3Apopular%20goku%27s%20daughter&qo=14  
This is exactly how I picture Gomih looks!

_Anyway…. Happy reading!_****

CHAPTER 22: Mission: Save the world

(Gomih's POV)

I averted back to my first form and fell on the cold marble-tiled white floor on all fours, panting like a dog. Sweat was dripping down in streams off my forehead as I heaved. "I underestimated you..." I gasped out at the old Kai. "You can sure give a beating." Shock was engraved in my voice and I flinched as accidently pressed on a sore spot on my abdomen.

He let out a graceful chuckle. "I am glad I proved you wrong. Now get up." He ordered sternly. "This is not a vacation."

I groaned. "We have been going on like this for four days straight without sleep!" I complained. "I am so tired; my body can't go on like this anymore..." My muscles were actually trembling with every movement I made; even blinking became an impossible challenge for my withered body.

He pulled me up with his lean arm and placed me on my feet. I hunched, too tired to stand up straight.

"Some wars go on for longer than four days child, this one could too. And do you think your enemy will give you time for a nap-break?" He stared at me, intimidating. "You have to learn how to push past the fatigue barrier and draw more energy from it, making it possible for you to continue for a decent amount of time before your energy is completely drained out."

I reluctantly shook my head slowly from side to side. "But I am only human, not a piece of machinery! I cannot keep up with your vigorous pace!" I defended myself.

He looked to the ground and smiled softly. "On the contrary, your veins flow with the DNA of both human and Saiyan-blood, some of the most advanced species in the known universe!" His eyes met mine. "Your Saiyan DNA the giver of your more aggressive nature, advanced speed and strength abilities, passion for the fighting arts and the unique aptitude to increase your strength after every battle, while your human genes are the contributor of heightened emotions, feelings, advanced intellect and natural survival instincts. The two combined gives you that needed edge in becoming a great warrior; your emotions fuelling your Saiyan side to overcome and prosper great difficulties with ease. "Therefore, I think that hybrids are more powerful and progressed than the full-bloods of those fore mentioned species, due to the mixed genetic makeup."

He lifted my bowed head with his forefinger, gently and smiled. "Don't underestimate your abilities dear one; you are greater than you think."

I sighed. "How long did it take Gohan to master this?" I asked curiously.

"You are not Gohan; set your own pace." He materialized a sword in his hands and flung it toward me, aiming it at my neck. My eyes widened and I sunk down to my knees, just barely scraping by the sharp metal. I used my position to my advantage, shifting all my weight to my arms behind me and kicked my feet up in the air, throwing the sword out of his grasp.

A look of surprise colored his face momentarily but he made a graceful 360 degree turn and caught the sword on its hilt gracefully in his hand. Not wasting another moment he curled both his hands firmly around the hilt and started to shove it down towards my abdomen.

Calculating that there would not be enough time to dodge the impact without impaling my side, I caught the blade between my two palms. My muscles quivered under the mighty impact. I closed my eyes and clenched my teeth in strain.

"I can't..." I whimpered out as I felt the sword slipping a few millimeters down towards my body.

"Then it will kill you..." He stated emotionlessly.

"You wouldn't kill me," I panted through the tension, "you said that I was your only hope."

"If you can't even handle this attack, then you can't handle Raphael, and definitely not your brother..."

Dispirited tears started to fall down my cheeks and sweat poured down my face from all the exertion. I dug through the fatigue and pushed through. A golden aura flamed around my body as I power up directly into Super Saiyan 2 form. I used all the power I had left and pushed the sword upwards, making it move steadily back to Magisterial, who I saw wore a pleased smile on his face.

I pushed the last fragment of my power into my trembling arms, and relief suddenly shot through my body as the weapon snapped in two, making the top half of the blade nest itself next to my head and the other half falling about 100 meters away from the scene. It made a loud clinging sound as it connected with the tiled floor.

Seeing that he was still distracted by the breaking of the sword, I took the chance to shoot forward and head butt him in the stomach, but he saw it coming and dodged away just before I could hit him, making me stutter forward and fall on my face.

I let out a frustrated growl and charged a mini-blast in my palm, flinging it directly into Magisterial's face. I was pleased to see that it actually hit him.

The smoke settled and I saw gloom that he was unscathed. I fumed and delivered millions of punches and kicks to his body, in anger, but he side-stepped every one of them.

He grabbed both my fists in one of his hands, but I used that to my advantage by putting all my weight on _his_ arms and pulling myself up, launching a devastating kick right through his face. Pain shot through my foot as it connected with his steel-hard cheek. He let go of my arms and I fell flat on my butt on the icy floor.

"I think this is enough for a while..." He stated as he started to walk to the rooms in the chamber, leaving me behind alone.

"Wait, don't you have some of those healing potions?" I asked. "I am pretty messed up."

He laughed without looking back to me. "Of course I do, but I suggest that you allow your body to heal naturally this time. It will build more muscle and strengthen your core." He stated as he disappeared through the doors.

I sighed. _Well, I have made it this far..._

I walked crumpled back to the rooms and immediately went into the kitchen. I opened the refrigerator and my mouth started to water. Turkey, beef, venison, pies, luscious fruits, cake, chocolate mousse and other delectable looking desserts filled the cold storage.

I ravishingly took a few helpings of each delicacy in my hands and gobbled it up instantly. I took one of the cartons of milk and gulped the whole bottle down; a few stray drops of milk escaped my mouth and flowed off my face. I wiped the dampness away with my bare arm and let out a deafening burp.

"Well aren't you just a delicate flower…" Magisterial's voice crept up behind me.

"You have a problem?" I asked with my mouth stuffed full with more food.

He pouted and walked over to the fridge, pushing past me he took out a jug of juice and poured it into a tall glass. I rolled my eyes at his decent behavior. Manners are for chumps!

After I decided that I had enough to eat, I walked directly into the washroom. I planted myself in front of the mirror, clasping both my hands over the sink for support.

I almost shrieked as I perceived my appearance. A disgusted frown rested on my brow as I lifted a few strands of my oily and dirt- looking hair in the air. My eyes were blood shot from the lack of sleep and had deep blue and black circles underneath them. Even my bags had bags!

A heavy odor of sweat clung to my body like old cheese. Oh I need a bath, STAT!

I crippled slowly towards the big tub, my muscles were barely functioning due to the fatigue, and slowly turned the faucet open. Steam welled over the tub as the warm water drenched it. I slowly started to remove my clothes and threw them in a dirty bundle on the floor near the toilet.

I put my toes in the water first, testing the waters, and gently slipped into it when I realized the temperature was just right.

I have never felt so wonderful in my life.

The warm steamy water caressed my skin and seeped into my sore muscles. I put a damp washcloth on my forehead and closed my eyes as I relaxed. If only here were bubbles and classical music, then I would have been complete…

My head jolted back, making the cloth fall off my head, as I heard the door creak open; Magisterial hurrying inside with an uncomfortable-looking walk. He froze on the spot as he noticed my presence and stared at me in the bathtub with big eyes. A slight blush formed on his cheeks.

I let out a horrified high-pitched shriek and instinctively used my arms to cover up my privates.

"What are you doing here, you perv?! GET OUT!" I yelled at the top of my lungs, resulting in him clasping his hands over his peeping eyes and turning around, facing the opposite direction.

"You are in my bathroom..." He defended himself.

"Whatever! Don't you dare get fresh with me you peeping Tom; close your eyes! " I instructed loudly.

"Don't worry; they are already closed…" He reassured me.

"So you think I am ugly?" A tad bit of offence clung to his voice.

He sighed. "No you are a ravishing young lady; now will you please exit my washroom?" Desperation was engraved in his voice.

"I was here first! Can't you wait until after I finished, to do your business, or go use mine?" I suggested.

"I am afraid it is not that simple, you see, it gets me a while to get things going on an unfamiliar toilet, and I am already accustomed to this one…" His voice drifted off in embarrassment.

Ew… "Fine! Just give me a towel!" He threw a white towel over to me and I caught it in one hand. I slowly got out of the tub and wrapped the drying fabric around my body.

He sighed. "I finally understand what Gohan meant about you…" He stated out of the blue when I started to walk out.

I frowned and turned around, looking at him with a raised eyebrow. "My brother talked about me with you?" I was kind of surprised my brother would discuss me with his sensei.

He nodded. "He did, now don't take offence to this, but please leave…"

"So what did he say?" I demanded.

He sighed. "_Why did I bring it up..?"_ He asked himself under his breath. "He just mentioned that you were a lovely person and great to get along with."

"Nice save old man." I gave him the death stare. "We shall never talk about this again, it never happened." I spat.

"Understood…"

I stormed with haste out of the bathroom and into my room, slamming the door shut loud behind me.

Not having any PJ's here, I had to put on one of the gi's he brought with him. I quickly dressed into a new, unscathed gi and fell flat on my back with my eyes closed on the luxurious large bed with white covers. Everything in this damn place is white!

I immediately resumed the fetal position as I feel asleep as soon as my head hit the soft pillow…

(Piccolo's POV)

I frowned in annoyance as I was forced to handle these females incisive babbling. _Why must I have been blessed with extreme hearing?_ I cursed my heightened senses.

"I cannot believe that you morons have the audacity to argue about a trivial matter such as age on a crucial time like this!" I directed to the quarrelling banshees.

Bulma immediately turned to me with her hands on her hips. "But I am younger-looking than Chi-chi!" he exclaimed.

Goku's wife growled. "You are such an ignoramus! You are much older than me!" She smiled smugly. "Six years, is it?" She gloated.

Bulma clenched her fists. "Age is just a number Chi; I have something called natural beauty…" She slowly ran her delicate fingers through her blue hair.

"I am not uglier than you!" Chi-Chi turned toward Krillen. "Tell her Krillen; tell her who the prettiest one between the two of us is."

Krillen fidgeted nervously with his fingers. "Well, you are both beautiful…" He stuttered out. "But I prefer blonds…" He smiled lovingly to his wife who returned the romantic gesture. Ugh, revolting.

Bulma snickered. "Just face it Chi, you are past your prime…"

Chi-Chi glared at Bulma. "Says the one who passed the forty mark..." She laughed at her statement.

Bulma glowered back. "What does Goku see in you?" She asked in a baffled voice.

Chi-Chi fumed. "So this is what it is actually about Bulma?" She yelled, making nearby birds fly distraught from their nests. "You are hung up that Goku married me?"

Bulma scoffed. "I couldn't be the least bothered about that; he clearly doesn't have taste in women…"

"That's it!" Chi-chi flew from her spot and charged at Bulma. The women started to attack each other wildly and Krillen tried to come in between them, but they shoved him away violently.

I couldn't take it anymore. I walked away from the babblers, going deeper into the beautiful valley of this sacred realm. I still couldn't wrap my mind over the fact that I was walking on the grass the Supreme Kai walks on, breathing in the air the Supreme master's breathe in…

I stopped when I reached a giant tree towering over me like a ten story building. I sat crossed legged at the bottom of the tree in the shade as I resumed my meditation position.

I took in a deep breath as I relaxed and tuned out all the noise. _Something is not right…_ Kami speculated inside my mind out of nowhere.

_What is it?_ I asked the previous guardian of the earth, but before he could air his thoughts Dende ran over to me. "Piccolo, I can't feel earth's force anymore!" He stated out of breath. "its energy has completely vanished.

My eyes widened. "You don't think it is destroyed, do you?"

The teenage guardian shot me a worried look. "What else can explain this?"

"Then Gohan and the others failed?" My mind immediately thought of the worst case scenario.

Just as I finished my sentence, Goku, Trunks, Vegeta and Gohan's comrades all came bursting through the sky, crash-landing on the women.

"They are still alive!" Dende stated the obvious. He frowned. "But I can still feel Raphael's presence lingering in the universe…" A confused expression was apparent on his features.

"Gohan isn't here; maybe he is facing him off…" I speculated but Dende didn't look satisfied with the theory.

"Perhaps, but I don't feel his presence…"

I frowned at the junior Namekian. "If anyone knows what is going on, it must be those clowns." I stated and started to walk over to the warriors; where they were busy brushing themselves off.

"Whoa, that was a close one guys!" I heard Goku exclaim as he wiped some stray sweat off his forehead. The whole bunch nodded at his exclamation.

"Close one, what happened?" I was the first to ask a question.

Everybody looked down. I saw that plump ally of Gohan roll his eyes; Reynard is his name, I remembered. "Guys, there is no choice but to state the inevitable." He spoke up and stared directly into my eyes. "Earth is no more…" He said quickly, like ripping a bandage off.

Dende shot me a peculiar look and I put my hand comfortingly on his shoulder.

"Oh and Raphael took over Gohan's body, he is kind of evil now." He continued in a monotone, like we were talking about something boring, like the weather in Antarctica.

I walked over to him and grabbed him by his shirt. "What happened?!" I demanded in a shrill voice.

He carefully pried my fingers from his shirt. "Raphael killed Gomih, which made Gohan snap, compromising his state of mind and giving Ralphy the perfect opportunity to take him over." He explained. My mouth fell open in shock.

"Gomih's dead?!" I shouted so loud that he flinched.

"Yes but don't fret, I sense her presence on Magisterial's realm." He tried to subdue me.

"Oh and I guess that makes it alright." I replied sarcastically. "So where are Gohan and Raphael now?" I asked.

"Probably trying to track our ki's so they can kill us." He stated calmly.

Chi-Chi rushed over to Goku and banged her fists against his chest. "How. Could. You. Allow. Our. Daughter. To. Be. Killed?!" She sobbed and he put his arms around her shaking body, whispering something inaudible into her ear. I didn't bother to listen what it was.

"It is not safe for you guys to be here," Reynard said worriedly towards the clan of women. "I am going to teleport you to Otherworld, okay?" He winked. "Just tell old' Yemma that Reynard the Great sent you."

He extended his arms towards the group, but Eighteen stepped out. "I am a fighter." She stated to Rey and resumed a position next to me.

"Honey?" Krillen asked worriedly to his wife.

She smiled at him. "Take good care of Marron." She blew him a kiss as he teleported away with his blond daughter in his arms…

"What are we going to do now, guys?" Goku asked like an imbecile behind me.

"We retaliate Goku." I stated the obvious.

Gailo nodded. "That is the only option we have left…" His voice trailed off, like he was deep in thought.

"Stop being such downers guys, you are disturbing my mellow aura!" Luna scolded. "Besides, I am sure Magisterial is busy finding a way to save Gohan whilst killing Raphael in the process." She tried to put a positive spin on the situation.

"Of course he is; he wouldn't allow anything bad to happen to one of his pupils." The beauty next to Gailo's reassured.

"What happened? Why are you all here?" A panic-stricken Shin appeared out of nowhere.

"About time you got back." Reynard proclaimed as Kibito and two other warriors I have never seen before arrived a few seconds later.

One of them looked like a fish; his whole body consists out of light blue scales and he had gills on the side of his face. He had long pointy ears and a fin on his head. He didn't seem that much of a threat; he was skinny and short, and he had a major melancholy vibe and the other one almost looked identical to a Namekian. But as he got closer I realised that he wasn't Namekian; his skin may have been that same mossy green and he may have had the same peculiar clothing as me, which was where the similarities stopped. He was built leanly and his head did look a little small for his big muscular exterior. He didn't have a nose and had medium-sized red eyes.

A bunch of them infiltrated Otherworld; we had to work our butts off to defeat them." The green one stated.

Gailo nodded. "I thought as much, but at least you are here now. Raphael and the others are going to arrive any moment now so brace yourself." He stated.

Supreme Kai looked around him. "Why isn't Gohan here, we could sure use his assistance."

"Gohan is not batting on our team anymore Shin," Reynard informed the Kai, sadly, "Raphael took over his mind."

Shin and Kibito's eyes almost fell out of their sockets out of surprise. "What are we going to do now?" Shin panicked. "Gohan is one of the strongest fighters in the universe, if not the strongest!" He exclaimed. "We are as good as dead!"

"Get it together Shin," Gailo calmed the Kai down. "We are powerful too; Gohan may be strong but he lacks the fighting experience we have enquired over thousands years worth of training. We can surely use that against him." The leader of the guard strategized. "And besides, we have Arqua and Pikkon here too;" He nodded towards the fighters next to Kibito, "if we work together we can take him down."

A deep frown formed on Kibito's brow. "Sounds like you are planning to kill him off." He noted.

Gailo sighed sadly and shrugged. "We have to do what we have to do…"

"Wait a minute; you are not going to kill my son!" Goku yelled civilized at Gailo.

"I know it is hard Goku, and not one of us wants to do this, we have grown quite fond of Gohan, but there is simply no other option." Gailo reasoned.

"I can't believe I am saying this, but I agree with Goku. There is no way I am going to allow you to kill that boy." I stood up for my pupil.

"I understand that you feel that way Piccolo, I really do," The girl who always clung to Gailo's side said in a soft and understanding tone," but the real Gohan is gone," She turned to Goku, "the Gohan you knew and raised is not alive anymore. Raphael already killed him during the mind crush."

"I don't believe that," Reynard who has been surprisingly quiet these last few moments, spoke up. "Think about it you guys, Gohan is one tough bastard!" He smiled. "The world cannot throw anything at that little man without him pawning it." He looked Gailo and his girlfriend straight in the eyes. "I say he is still alive, the Gohan I know would not just give up without a fight."

That princess chick with the blond hair and caramel skin put her arm around Reynard's shoulder. "I agree whole-heartedly with Rey. We are not going to allow you to kill our comrade; now who is with me?!" She raised her fist patriotically in the air.

Everybody made a circle around the two of them, except for Pikkon, Arqua, Gailo and his girl. "15 against one, I think we have a clear winner." Reynard exclaimed victoriously.

Gailo frowned. "It doesn't matter what you think, I am the leader and I have the final say."

Before we could protest further, we heard a loud applause coming from the nearby fountain. "Bravo; really heart-warming speeches, but I think I would have to side with Rey and the others Gailo, you are not going to kill me off..." He stared evilly at the leader of the guard. "I however, will not return the favor for you." Gohan stated venomously as he sat casually on the edge of the glorious fountain.

"G… Gohan?" Goku stuttered out.

The boy rolled his eyes. "Yes that is me, Dad, my name hasn't changed since the last time I have seen you…"

I saw Goku cringe as he noticed Gohan's dark aura, but his brave stance did not falter.

"Where are Raphael and Buu?" Gailo braved the first real question.

Gohan chuckled. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

My heart hurt. I realized that what Gailo said before was true, as I stared into the now orange-glistering eyes of my first pupil. My blood ran cold when our eyes met. _Gohan is dead._ There is no trace of my best friend left, and that made me mad...

I stared at the ground and clenched my teeth and fists, trying to regain my composure, but that option was already long gone. "You bastard!" I yelled at the top of my lungs as I charged the imposter responsible for my friend's death at top speed.

Just before I could hit him, I jumped up in the air, my arm already pulled back and fist clenched as I punched him through his face with all my might. I noticed with horror that my punch did literally no harm, he stared angrily up at me with his beady little eyes.

"Don't tell me that is all you got, mister Piccolo?" He sneered. "Weren't you the one who taught me about how to never charge your opponent blinded by rage?" He chuckled without a hint of humor in the gesture. "And now you do the opposite... Tsk, tsk…"

I froze and tears formed unwillingly in my sockets as he spoke the cold words. He took my fist in his own flung it away, making me spin around and fall to the ground on my knees. "It would be a waste of my precious energy to kill you. The student has after all surpassed the teacher…" He spat and kicked me in the side so forceful that I rolled away and stopped in front of Goku's stinky feet about a hundred meters away.

"Why are you here?" Gailo asked to the point, ignoring the entire occurrence with me.

Gohan started to chuckle violently. "I am one of you aren't I? I am just following the leader." He teased.

"Cut the crap, what did Raphael send you to do here?" Reynard bombarded the next question.

Gohan growled loudly and flashed to Reynard's side in a flash, karate-chopping him in the back and pulled him up by his blond hair. "Let's get one thing straight, Rey," He breathed menacingly in his previous comrade's ear. "Raphael doesn't own me, I am my own person and I will not be tamed by the likes of him." He threw Reynard face first in the ground below; the impact was so forceful that the boy's head bounced up again before it came to a standstill.

"Oh is that so?" I recognized Raphael's deep voice instantly ask behind us.

Gohan spun around and stared his master down with a deep frown and cold eyes. "Yes; there may be an "R" printed on my forehead, but I am evil by choice, I am not your puppet!" He yelled from across the field.

He laughed. "You would have been the perfect warrior if it weren't for your big mouth… Now kill them." He ordered while pointing at as and I flinched. I knew that we were sure as hell not going down without a fight, but I also knew that we wouldn't survive the wrath of Gohan.

Gohan rolled his eyes. "I am not going to kill them." He shot back.

Raphael raised his eyebrows in disbelief at the young Saiyan. "What did you say?"

Gohan growled. "I am not going to kill them! Sheesh; stop asking questions you already know the answers to." He retorted annoyed which made Raphael fume.

"I am your master and you will do as I say." His voice quivered with anger.

"I am my own master and my sole mission is to take over the universe by killing Magisterial; the others are nothing." He continued back-chatting Raphael.

"I cannot believe this; Babidi's magic cannot wrap itself completely around your think arrogant, Saiyan skull…"

"If you keep talking like I am not even in the room, you are next on my list." Gohan threatened.

Raphael's amused laugh echoed through the landscape and gestured a hand at Buu. "This is just too much! Buu?"

His obese pink minion smiled evilly and shifted his attention to Gohan.

The halfbreed's eyes widened as Buu, probably using Babidi's magical abilities, attacked him mentally, but his brave and confident exterior did not falter as he collapsed to the ground, twitching like an epileptic.

Raphael pulled the half-Saiyan up by his ebony hair and threw him in our direction. "Now do as I say."

Gohan brushed him off while eyeing Raphael with hatred. "You don't own me…" He said under his breath, my advanced hearing able to pick it up.

Raphael tilted his ear in Gohan's direction. "What was that?" He asked.

Gohan took a deep breath as he steadied himself. "You don't own me!" He shouted louder and spat in Raphael's face.

A stunned expression colored Raphael's face as Gohan tackled him to the ground; sitting on his lap, he punched the destroyer of worlds through his face repeatedly.

"B…Buu…" He breathed for his minion.

"Oh no you don't…" Gohan said incoherently and jumped up, transforming mid-air into Super Saiyan 4. He charged a massive Kamehameha in his hands and shot it towards the stunned Buu. The whole planet shook from the abrupt attack; as the smoke cleared there was actually a new ditch on the planet's, caused by the massive blast, seeming to go on my hundreds of miles.

Buu was nowhere to be seen...

Gohan walked with a smug expression extra slowly over to Raphael, who wore a blank expression on his scarred face.

"Buu's gone." Gohan stated victoriously in a whisper.

"You are supposed to do my every bidding." Raphael was baffled as he took a few steps back.

"Then you should have taken over a rock!" Gohan yelled.

"Time to be suppressed then…" Raphael got a peculiar expression on his face as Gohan he stared at the young Saiyan; the boy fell to the ground before the destroyer of worlds' feet.

My former pupil clutched his head in pain and after a while got up again, but his eyes lost the fire it held before, they were even more dead…

"Now…" Raphael pointed to our little group and we all got into a fighting stance.

He snapped his neck and knuckles before turning to us. He appeared so fast above us, that only the other Magisterial guard members were able to follow the movement. He extended his arms down towards us; I flinched as Luna emitted a battle cry next to me as she sped up towards her comrade. She kicked his arm, now facing away from us while a dark-skinned member of the guard, whose name I don't recall, got him into a lock from behind.

All the other members were around him in an instant, working in perfect harmony together. Goku, Eighteen and I were left speechless on the ground, just gaping at their graceful techniques. "Rey!" Gailo shot down to the other member who stood frozen on the ground. He closed his eyes for a few seconds before hurrying to the scene.

I saw they used ki-rings to restrain him; but I found it odd that Gohan didn't put up a fight at all. He just stood there, floating in the air, letting them attack him. I spoke to soon. A sudden explosion shot from his body, so immense that all of the guard when flying away from the boy in spinning motions.

Gohan made himself into a ball and a sudden large purple ball of energy formed around him. Lighting shot on the surface of the ball of tremendous energy as it grew bigger and bigger and bigger… So big that the two remaining Z-fighters and I had to jump back a few paces to prevent that the giant thing consumes us.

Raphael started to laugh behind us.

Why aren't they attacking? I wondered as I saw all the fighters stare wide-eyed at the boy. "Magisterial taught him the ingens navitas pila maneuver…" Gailo suddenly stated, his voice filled with bewilderment. "Not one of us had the strength to master it…" Luna said, also wide-eyed.

"What did you expect; Gohan is a hell of a guy…" A member who I didn't know stated without surprise.

Reynard smiled bitterly. "It has been a privilege fighting alongside you guys…"

(Gomih's POV)

We emerged out of the chamber, me feeling like an entire new person. My, now, shoulder length hair fluttering lightly in the slight breeze; Magisterial suggested that I cut them short for battle purposes, but this is as short as I would ever go.

My strength has increased vigorously; I barely recognized the magnitude of power it reflected. Magisterial believes that I was on the brink of the third super Saiyan transformation, but that I would have to work harder than I have ever worked before to reach and master it.

I also grew taller, but just with a fraction of an inch, but I still noticed it.

I am physically eighteen now; a year of my life flew by without me actually noticing it. But nevertheless I still, feel seventeen.

"So, how am I supposed to save Gohan with this?" I asked as I pointed to my sword resting on its sheath safely on my back.

His face turned into a grimace. "You pierce it through his heart." He said in a monotone.

I frowned. "But wouldn't that kill him?" I asked worriedly.

"One life is sacrificed while billions of other lives are saved…" He indirectly answered my question.

I gasped. "You want me to kill him with this?! I thought we were going to save him."

He nodded with a blank expression on his face. "We are; Gohan wouldn't want to be evil, he would rather die than kill innocent people. I am protecting his honor; this is what he would want."

My mouth fell open in shock. "How can you make such a crucial decision so easily?" I nearly yelled at him.

"This is one of the hardest things I have ever had to decide; Gohan is like a son to me Gomih…" His voice held a severe melancholy tone.

"Then don't kill him off, we can think of something else!" I pleaded. _We just have to…_

"I will not make the same mistake twice; if you have difficulty with killing your brother, I completely understand, but just remember, Gohan is not in there in anymore, he is already dead; you would be killing an imposter, the monster responsible for his death."

A frenzy of emotions flashed through my body. "Can we please stop talking about death…?" I was starting to feel dizzy from the severity of the situation and actually leaned against one of the pillars on the pathway for support.

"Gomih, you cannot escape this…"

I let out a deep sigh. "I can do it…"

I took a deep breath to steady myself as I closed my eyes, trying to locate my brother's ki. I felt his ki on a nearby location, but it was clouded, eerie, dark…

"Must I send you to him?" Magisterial offered.

I shook my head. "I got this…" I stated as I transported, using the instantaneous movement I was taught in the chamber, to a beautiful planet. I noticed that Gohan was inside a purple energy ball with a strong magic signal surrounding it.

Wasting no time, and forcing myself not to get distracted by the beauty of the planet, I took my sword out of its sheath and thrust it down towards the pure evil energy ball, piercing it. It suddenly dispersed, all its energy retracting into my sword.

Taking advantage of my brother's distraught position, I aimed Excalibur at his head, but just before it could hit him, he pulled out his own sword and quickly stopped the attack.

A heavy clinging sound echoed across the planet as the two mighty weapons collided. Both swords' blades quivered as they came in contact with one another. My brother smiled deviously up to me; it was a smile I have never seen on his features, and it made my blood run cold. A smile I remembered Cell and Frieza having…

"Hey sis," He sneered in a voice that was deeper than Gohan's original voice.

I did not reply; I spun around in the air to get more force behind my blow and shot it to this body. He effortlessly blocked the blow again, not even looking at me.

He laughed. "Don't tell me you are planning on fighting me with _that_ toy?" He raised an eyebrow at me in humor.

My face held no emotion. "Fight you?" I asked rhetorically. "No, I want to kill you." I stated and transformed directly into Super Saiyan 2. He was momentarily taken aback, but regained his composure quickly.

"I am not going to lie sis, I am impressed; but you are not going to succeed." He continued arrogantly.

"I am _not_ your sister; you are _not_ my brother!" I yelled and attacked him full force, "You are nothing of me!" I sneered the words. He did manage to block a few blows, but the majority connected with his body; one blow actually made him fall to the ground.

Gailo was behind him in an instant, grabbing him into a death grip around his neck. Gohan scurried and fought the hold, but Gailo held on for dear life.

My eyes widened in terror_: I have a clear shot_. I didn't expect it to be so soon; I actually hoped that he would kill me first so I wouldn't have to kill him…

I made my grip tighter around Excalibur's hilt and aimed it directly to his heart, but the horrified expression on his face made me stop. The tip of the blade halted above his chest, almost touching it.

My breathing became harder and my heart started beating wildly as my brain registered what I was about to do; I was going to slaughter my sibling, my twin!

_He is not your brother, he is not Gohan_… I repeated in my mind, trying to convince myself.

"Do it!" Gailo ordered.

He moved under the blade and that made me instantly react; I pulled the sword down harder, making it pierce his skin. A drop of blood seeped through his gi. He raised his hands in front of his body in defense.

"Whoa, girl…" He hushed me.

"Don't tempt me; I can kill you right here and now!" I threatened with a shaky voice.

His lips curled up at the corners slowly. "Who are you kidding Meemz? We both know that you will not kill me…" _His_ deep voice disappeared and was replaced with Gohan's original voice; the gentle, caring voice; the voice I loved...

"You would not hurt _me_…" He continued. "I would not hurt _you_; we are just messing around, sibling rivalry." He forced a fake chuckle.

"Gomih, kill him!" Gailo's voice yelled. "He is lying to you! Don't fall for his mind games; Gohan is already dead!"

I was rooting for never…

My logical brain knew that _he_ was trying to take me for a ride, playing with my emotions to save _his_ life. But there was a part of my mind that believed him; that _wanted_ to believe him; the part that was keeping me from delivering the final blow.

_He_ chuckled as he met my gaze. "Remember that time we found that enormous spider inside the house and Mom wanted to kill it with her whole heart?" He smiled softly. "You were the one who stopped her! You told a whole tale about how that teensy little spider could be a baby-spider who has a Mommy worrying herself sick about him and has family just like ours. You asked her how she would feel we wandered into someone's house and the owner tried to kill us…"

I gasped as he aired one of our beloved childhood memories. I didn't know he remembered that, we were so young, not older than three at the time. Tears formed unwillingly in the corners of my eyes and gently prickled down my cheeks.

"You are not a killer sis…" He said softly, breaking out of Gailo's hold, punching him down. He used his finger to steer the sword away from his body, making it point to the ground. He slowly got up and brushed himself off. My stare still directed to the floor as my silent tears fell.

"But _I_ am…" I looked up again, directly into his face, just in time to see him flashing to me so quickly that the motion was not registered by my brain or senses.

A sharp pain shot through my side as something sharp and cold pierced my skin. I tumbled to the ground; my vision became blurry all of the sudden.

I saw Gohan give a little wave at me as I tumbled down. He wiped his sword, which was covered with a red fluid, off on the emerald-colored grass. My hand shot to the spot in my side that felt uncomfortable. I was surprised to feel the wet, thick sensation touching my hand. I stared at my palm at the redness; blood.

Strange, I didn't feel pain…

I landed on my back with a thud, actually bouncing before I resided in a still position. But still, my body held no feeling…

I fought unconsciousness with my whole being but couldn't keep it any longer, my eyes fell shut and I was instantly surrounded with darkness, vaguely aware of my father's screams as he rushed towards me…

(Gohan's POV)

My heart skipped a beat as my sister's body fell lifeless to the ground, blood gushing at an alarming rate out of the slash in her side.

_That was easy… He_ mocked inside my mind followed by a deep laugh. _She almost had me, almost… But I sure showed her…_ He scoffed. _You good guys, you always want to do… good! It sickens me!  
_  
_His _words bounced around my skull in a disoriented frenzy. I clenched both my teeth and fists; I was still secured with chains in _his_ brain. My whole body was shaking out of anger, rattling the chain wildly. _What are you doing in there?! _

My breathing became harder the angrier I got._ I know your kind; you think you can just waltz in her and take over, but you forgot one thing_…

He chuckled. _Oh, and what is that?_

_I am Gohan Son!_ I yelled as I lost myself in a fit of rage, so big, that it consumed my whole being along with _his_… He clutched his head in pain and let out an agonized scream as I broke out of the chains, snapping them instantly. I powered up, using all my strength, all the energy I had in reserves, to attack _his_ mind.

"What is going on?" Raphael's alarmed words dug through his skull to my ears.

_He_ shot up to the sky and started powering up to Super Saiyan 4 but that didn't faze me, I leveled the transformations he made, fuelled by regret, anger and grief, my body reached lengths I didn't know was possible, surpassing the power _he_ was displaying.

_I know you are out there Gomih, you came back to save me and I won't let you down! _I yelled as loud as I could and released even more power. His screams turned silent as the pain intensified in his mind.

It felt like we were being torn apart…

And then I could see through _my_ own eyes again; I felt the brisk summer breeze caressing _my_ skin, I felt a sincere smile forming on _my_ mouth. I lifted _my_ hand in front my face, staring at it with awe. I commanded _my_ body to do so and it listened! I couldn't help but do a little happy dance in the sky without music leading my moves.

The n I flinched as I stared directly into _my_ eyes. I was shocked to see another me floating exhaustedly in the sky, a death stare printed his face…

*************************************************

_OMW! What kind of twisted twist did my brilliant mind come up with this time!?_

Bahahahahaha! What did YOU think just happened? Comment in the reviews and let's see who is right! Let the games begin…. 

_Until next week! Have a good one! _


	24. Chapter 23: When two worlds collide

_BOOOO! Bahahaha I sure scared you!_

Yay a new chapter is out; let's see what I have written for you in this glorious week! :D 

_Bows out of respect for the new subscribers and story followers and my awesome reviewers (Billythekid, Vegetaslave87, jerry, thatonefatguy, ky111, unwanted half-Saiyan demon, Rawr, Vienne and crashbreaka) _

_Let's see if your theories were correct…_

Happy reading! *

**CHAPTER 23: When two worlds collide.**

Thump… Thump…. Thump…. Thump… 

My heart's irregular beats thumped against my chest, visibly making my right peck move up and down repeatedly with the rhythm of my heart. My hand shot instinctively to my chest as a light discomfort filled my upper body, making me sway from side to side in light-headedness.

A confused expression paused on my features as I realized something... I can feel my heart beating? Why can I feel my heart beating? _Have I maybe always felt it but just grew used to it over time? But why now all of a sudden, at such an intense rate?_

Maybe it is just an after burn from escaping that tortured grasp in my other persona. A small price to pay…

My breathing became harder all of a sudden; most of my breaths came out in gasps and chokes. I curled my hand around my throat and frowned as I stroked it; why was it hard for me to get function over my lungs?

I floated dizzily down to the ground and landed on my feet. I forced myself to take a few breaths, steadying myself, with one hand still clutching my throbbing rib cage.

I flinched as something suddenly crashed a few feet away from me into the merciless ground. I stared confused at my doppelganger. Our similar ebony eyes met as he slowly got to his feet. He grunted and pointed a shaky finger at me.

"You are going to pay for that!" He yelled with a raspy voice, but fell to the ground instead, clutching his head with both hands. He let out a despair-filled groan as he rolled around on the grass on his back.

I was at a total loss of what to do; but then again everybody was. Raphael was planted on his spot while staring open-mouthed at me, then shifting his gaze to the other me; he did this for quite a while before running over to my evil incarnation.

If anyone knows what is going on, it will be Shin!

_Where are they?_ I wondered internally as I searched around me; they weren't here. I jumped into the sky and searched the grounds below me; smiling as I spotted my flock of friends and comrades not too far away.

I drifted slowly towards their direction, still feeling a little groggy. I saw Kiana drum around Gomih, her slender hands placed on my sister's chest. My eyes widened, with all the excitement I completely forgot that she was injured!

I let go of my energy, letting gravity take me to the ground, and landed silently on my feet just behind Gomih and Kiana. The cute healer shrieked as she looked over her shoulder and saw me and immediately resumed a protective stance in front of my injured sister. Her eyes held bravado and, to my, a 'warning' stare. I noticed that her body was trembling slightly; she seemed totally frightened of me.

"Get away from her!" I heard Reynard yell and turned around, just to see my plump, yet muscular, friend speed towards me. Before I could react his long spider-like arms bind around my waist, but not for a hug...

I let out a pained gasp as my head bounced directly onto a nearby rock. I was momentarily left dazed and confused by the blow to the head and saw in a blur someone on top of me. I focussed on a certain spot, blinking my eyes rapidly, and the picture came together like a puzzle.

"Rey?" My voice was full of confusion, befuddled that he was restraining me.

"Don't Rey me you vulgar substance!" He yelled angrily, his voice actually quivering.

I was vaguely aware of my face being driven from side to side as something hard connected with it. I pulled my arms out from under Reynard's butt and swatted his fists away, as if they were flies.

"What are you doing?" I yelled with closed eyes at my closest friend. "Stop it!" I ordered sternly with a deep annoyance on the surface of my voice.

"I am taking you out this time!" He yelled as an answer to my question and jumped backwards into the air, making a few summersaults. He landed gracefully on his feet a few metres back, already in a fighting stance.

I shook away the dizzy feeling in my head due to the beatings and pushed myself up with my arms.

I saw with horror that every member of the guard and even all my friends from earth, get into a direct line, all with scowls on their faces in their unique fighting stances. My mouth fell open as I saw my sister walk up and resume a respective place between Dad and Trunks.

They wanted to attack me? What is wrong with them! I am on their team!

Their intense glares made me back away a few paces with my hands held defensively in front of my chest. "Guys?" I asked unsure in a voice a few octaves higher than my original's, as I felt them raise their ki's.

They all charged like on man, but it was Gailo and Magnar who reached me first, so quick that I didn't even see their movement. I instinctively jumped into the air, avoiding their approaching arms, but I didn't notice that Luna was above me.

She smiled bitterly down to me, making me freeze on the spot. "What's up, Buttercup?" Her voice was filled with venom. "Luna, I'm not…" She struck me down to the ground before I could complete my sentence. I landed on my knees on the soft grass, but as I got up I noticed two shadows gathering around me.

As I looked up, I saw Magnar and Gailo's faces stare back at me; their eyes mimicked the hatred I saw in Luna's.

Both Gailo's arms locked around my left arm as he effortlessly lifted me from the ground in an upright position. Magnar did the same with my right hand, clasping it securely in a death grip.

I struggled in their holds, using all my brute upper body strength to free myself, but they didn't budge. Screw this! I was just about to jump up into the air to shake them off, but two strong hands clasped around my legs, jolting them together. I lost my balanced and wavered to the side, but I didn't fall. Luna went to sit on my neck, with her knees resting on my shoulders, keeping me from falling.

She violently curled her vanilla-fragrant soft hands around my jaw, lifting my head to the sky. I tried to speak, but my mouth was rendered immobile by Luna's grasp.

"He is using the split-form technique; one of my allies on earth can also do it." Piccolo stated a little wade away from the scene. What, no! They got it all wrong!

"That bastard is probably doing it to throw us of balance." Vegeta joined in as he eyed me with revolt. Dad and Gomih were quiet; their disgusted gazes met my horrified eyes as they stared me down in hatred.

"Gomih…" Reynard said emotionlessly as he extended his right arm towards her, keeping my gaze. She stooped down and picked something up that was lying behind her. Her soft footsteps boomed in my mind as she handed a sword in a metal sheath to Reynard.

He nodded at her in acknowledgement and released the sword from its metal hold. The sword sliced gloriously out of its sheath, making a loud clangour that echoed through the air. He held a determined expression on his face as he walked over to me with slow deliberate paces.

My eyes widened and I struggled in their grips for a second time, but they still didn't budge an inch; they were like anchors weighing me down to the ground.

I tried powering up, intending to shoot them away from my body with my ki, but as soon as I began releasing only a fragment of energy, an iron fist pounded me in my back, making me bend forward and gasp as some air was forced out of my lungs.

"Guys, this is me! I am Gohan." I hesitated. "The real one!" Luna momentarily slacked her grip, making me able to speak again. The words were faint, but it fell on their ears.

Reynard's eyes filled with longing and belief, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared, creating a more hardened glare on his face.

"Nice try, but we aren't falling for _that_ again!" Gailo stated with authority and rewarded me with another punch in the back.

"You got to believe me…" My voice was filled with strain, Gailo's punches doing quite a number on me; being that I was currently in my vulnerable normal, untransformed state.

Reynard's eyes softened again, "Guys, I think he is telling the truth, all the evil vibes is gone."

I wanted to smile at the words, breaking out of my hold and running to him in slow-motion, jumping into his arms. But Gomih reprimanded him, crushing my hopes. "He did the same thing to me Reynard. He changed his ki and voice back to normal, just to confuse me, and took me out."

My heart sank. How can I convince them? It is clear that they have already made up their minds and won't listen to reason. I tried to communicate through their minds, but they were blocking me out; I couldn't even reach into the earthling's heads.

My mind was racing for a way to get out of this, alive, but my thoughts were cut short when Rey raised the sword in a horizontal line with his shoulders, as he neared me.

Sweat of stress poured from my forehead as I stared at the sharp blade heading shakily towards my chest, directly where my heart is located.

_Shin!_ I desperately closed my eyes and searched for the Supreme Kai.

_Gohan?_ Shin's voice was filled with shock. _Is that really you?_ He asked; I sensed his ki on Magisterial's realm.

_Yeah, in the flesh, but they won't listen to me! They are dead set on killing me_! My voice was filled with desperation.

Shin wavered, I saw doubt flood his mind; giving Rey the chance to pierce the first layer of my skin on my chest. Dispirited tears welled up in my sockets and a gasp escaped my mouths as the uncomfortable feeling of cold metal intruded my flesh.

I cringed as the pain got more severe as it punctured not only my skin, but also my flesh; the razor sharp metal on the brink of my heart.

"Stop!" I heard Shin yell and put his hand on the sword's blade, restraining any further movement.

"Shin, what are you doing here, it is not safe for you!" Gailo's voice was full of worry but changed to alarm as Shin didn't move. "This might be our only chance!"

"Don't be daft." He scolded. "This is definitely the real Gohan." He stated and I rejoiced. "Can't you feel the depth of his pure energy?"

"It could be a mind trick." Veronica observed behind Shin.

"That may be the case, but as Gohan talked through my mind, I remembered an old folk tale…" His voice trailed off.

"What folk tale?" Reynard asked curiously; he lowered the sword, dipping the sharp point of the weapon into the dirt.

"We don't have time for this!" Gailo said impatiently and tightened his grip. A pins and needles feeling stung through my right arm as Gailo's hold restricted the blood flow.

Magnar raised one of his bulky hands to Gailo. "Let's give him a chance; Gohan is in an inescapable hold." He shot me a warning look. "He would not dare to escape…" Shivers ran down my spine at his tone of voice.

The head of the magisterial guard sighed and gestured for Shin to continue. "Make it quick."

Shin nodded and took a few steps to the side, so everybody had a clear view of him. "Gohan miraculously retained his individuality when Raphael took over his mind, giving the evil persona its own personality." His voice was filled with awe. "I suspect Gohan released a power greater than that of his imposter's, making it literally impossible for the other ego to hold his own, along with Gohan's," He pointed to me, "massive display of power in his, one, system." He smiled at me. "He literally tore through his mind barrier and teleported to the outside world!" He exclaimed.

Everyone turned their heads to me with open mouths, but they didn't lessen their grips. I saw Reynard's eyes grow big from excitement before he lunged forward, tackling me to the ground along with everybody that held me hostage.

I fell on with my entire weight, along with Reynard's on top of me, on top of Gailo, my back resting on his oversized muscles. Their hands uncurled from my limbs and I instantly sat up straight, gasping for air; I fell on my wind out on his abs! Seriously, it would have been more merciful to land on sharpened razorblades!

Strong hands picked me up from behind and pulled me to my feet. "Bro, are you okay?" Reynard's worried face appeared right in front of my vision. Still not able to catch my breath I shot him a thumbs-up which made him smile and gather me into a legendary Reynard hug.

I felt my face starting to get blue as Reynard put even more pressure on my lungs. I didn't return the hug; I just dangled limply as he swayed from side to side.

"Rey! You are killing him!" Luna's shrill voice yelled next to me as she pried Reynard's hands from my body. Too breathless to land on my feet, I fell on my face, my butt facing towards one of the three suns.

"So what you are saying is that Gohan's evil alter ego is his own person, with his own likes and dislikes?" Veronica questioned.

Shin nodded. "That is correct; in all my existence have I never witnessed such a case before!"

"We have the same power level too." I coughed as Reynard pulled me up with his my arm around his shoulder.

"This is astounding…" Magnar breathed and got a absent expression on his face.

"That is one way to put it!" I joked and chuckled, but flinched as a pain shot through my upper chest.

"I have a sensu bean!" Dad's voice, eager to help, got closer and he extended his open hand with the seed safely in his palm. I smiled warmly at him as I looked into his eyes.

"Whoa man," Magnar stopped Dad before he could give me the magic healing bean ",we have a healer, no need for your gas-giving earth juju!" He defended and waved Kiana closer.

Dad shifted a little to the side, giving Kiana room to get over to me. She placed her hands on my chest and applied a little pressure as she shot her healing abilities through my bones. She smiled softly at me, revealing her set of perfectly straight teeth. "I missed you," She whispered softly, for only my ears. I returned the smile and felt a warm feeling that was not the healing power spread through my body.

She frowned down at me. "Your ki feels different…" She noted out loud, but I felt perfectly fine, all my energy was back.

I jumped up in one swift movement and loosened my limbs. "What are you talking about, Kia? I feel great!" I reassured her. I did a few silly dance moves to put her at ease, and she chuckled. I smiled; mission accomplished.

"Gohan?" Piccolo's voice was filled with shock.

I turned around and met his gaze. I smiled at my former sensei. "Sup, Piccolo?"

He pointed to my head. "Where is your halo?" He asked slowly.

I frowned and lifted my hands to above my head, feeling the space my halo is supposed to be. My eyes widened as I desperately tried to grasp the golden ring that was clearly not there anymore. Everyone gasped around me.

"That… That's just it, the weird thing I felt about your ki…" Kiana's eyes held a frenzy of emotions. "You have a life force…"

That sentence spiralled around in my thoughts; my world started spinning. That would surely explain my frenzied heart beat and the weird feeling flowing through my body.

This is how it feels to be _alive? _

"You are alive?" Reynard turned to Shin. "How is this possible?"

Shin shook his head slowly. "I honestly have no idea…"

I wasn't sure what to feel about this; happy, sad? My mind was screaming at me : "Be happy dumbass, you are alive!" , but I couldn't help the uneasy feeling that flooded my stomach; what does that mean for me? Will I have to go back to earth?

The whole point of being a magisterial protector is to be dead!

What about Rey and Draco? I can't leave them on their own mercy alone here. I had a nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach when I thought about going back to earth to live my life. It won't be the same; Gomih is already grown up and about to start her life away from home; all my old friends are well, _old_ and have children of their own to occupy them.

I would not fit in; not anymore…

Being distracted with my rabid thoughts; I didn't notice the panic-stricken yells behind me as the evil me was heading towards me. He plummeted his fist in my face, making me fly backwards with an incredible speed. I stopped myself mid-air, my feet now dangling in the air under my body. I saw upside-down how evil me was heading towards me with an extended foot.

I quickly turned myself around and extended my arms in front of me, catching his leg by his knee. He growled and head butted me in my chest, which was still beating away, making me bend backwards. He took that chance to faze above me with both his hands brought together in one fist as he punched me down with an incredible force.

Gravity being too forceful, I was unable to stop the fall, and crashed, back-first, onto the ground, a massive crater forming underneath my body.

As I opened my eyes dizzily I saw a bright dark red beam head towards me, my eyes widened and I rolled to the side, just barely scraping by the blast. I cannot keep up with him while he is in his Super Saiyan three form and I in my base state.

I was already panting from exhaustion while he was still perfectly fine.

Seeing that he was heading towards me again, I directed my open palm to the ground and blasted a wave of invisible energy to the crater. A huge dust bomb exploded, making evil me fly directly into it; I love it when a plan comes together. I heard him utter a frustrated scream as the dust streamed to his eyes like twelve year old girls to a Justin Bieber concert.

_Perfect._

I blasted with incredible speed up in the sky, levitating above the planet now. Making sure that _he_ was still stuck in the dust maze, I clenched my fists and teeth and made my feet rest at shoulder's width.

I let out a loud yell as I released all my power, transforming directly into my third Super Saiyan form. A huge golden aura surrounded my body and I smiled at the rush of pure power shooting through my bones.

My evil persona flew out of the dust cloud towards me and stopped in front of me with a grimace on his face. "That is the last time you will ever trick me!" He yelled and rubbed his red eyes.

I made slow circular motions with my hand in the air, expecting him to mimic my movement. "Wow, it is like looking into a gay mirror." I exclaimed slowly and he pouted. I frowned, is that what I look like when I pout? _Note to self: Pouting makes you look like an adolescent girl… _

"You know we look exactly the same, right?" He retorted back and crossed his arms over his chest.

I rolled my eyes. "Nah, your personality makes you ugly." I retorted, emphasizing the last word of the sentence.

"Your DNA made _me_ ugly!" He yelled and I laughed.

"Hey," I said while clutching my stomach as I realized something. "I am laughing at myself!" I exclaimed comically. I was surprised to see that that made him chuckle too.

"So, before we get back to pounding our fists in each other's unmentionables, what do you say about giving yourself a name?" I suggested. "It is just confusing and weird calling you also Gohan…"

He frowned. "Why do_ I_ have to change?" He whined childishly.

I rolled my eyes. "I had it first! Hello, I am the original!"

"Not anymore," He said curtly. "I am Gohan now."

I frowned at him. "I am Gohan!" I countered in a levelled voice.

He scoffed. "Nope that is me; I am Gohan!"

"I am!" I pointed an angry finger to my chest.

This senseless rant went on for quite a while until veins started to show on his forehead. "Fine!" He yelled so loudly that it made my body tremor. "_You_ are Gohan!" He admitted in angry defeat.

I smiled victoriously. "Yes; now what is your name?"

He closed his eyes and took an agitated uneven breath. "I don't care, can't we just get on with it?!"

"Of course we can't!" I said in an 'as a matter of fact' voice. "As what will I address you?"

"I don't care!" He yelled with a red face. I was surprised that he was keeping up with my childishness and not attacking. "Just pick something so I can bash your face in!" He said the words through clenched teeth.

"What about Betty?" I suggested after pondering for a few seconds.

He frowned. "Isn't Betty a woman's name?" Irritation was apparent in his voice.

I chuckled, "Exactly!" He didn't made eye contact with me, his eyes twitched and his whole body stiffened. I stifled another laugh as I looked at his comical expression.

_Hey, what are you doing up there?_ Rey's voice dug through my mind.

I chuckled at his suspicious tone. _We aren't making out or anything Rey._ I reassured him with a smile. _We are picking a name for him; I get confused easily._ I explained and he laughed.

_I am proud to call you my bestie!_ He exclaimed. _Now, what are your options so far? _

_Well, he didn't like Betty…_ My voice trailed off and Reynard started laughing uncontrollably in my mind.

_I wonder why!?_ He asked sarcastically. _You are hilarious bro!_

I smiled at my friend. _Any suggestions?_ I asked; I noticed that my other persona has still not moved from his angry statue-like position.

_Steve?_ He asked unsure.

I chuckled. _I have always wanted a pet name Steve!_ I exclaimed.

"What about Steve?" I aired Reynard's suggestion aloud.

Evil Gohan's head shot to the sky and he let out an ear-splitting yell. My hands instinctively shot to my ears, shielding them from the loud volume.

"Screw this!" He yelled and looked me directly in the eyes with a death stare on his brows. "Just call me Gotchi if it is so freaking important to you!" He charged blasts in both his hands and flung them towards my body.

I created a golden shield-ball around my body and sat crossed legged inside it until Gotchi's fires ceased. He heaved heavily after his rant and stared at me with hatred.

I let go of the shield and got in a fighting stance, my face held determination. "Ready for the real fight?" I asked but he did not answer, he instead charged at me with extended arms.

Calculating my time, I jumped into the sky, and just as his head passed me, I kicked him right on the head, he went flying down and almost crashed, but stopped himself a few inches from the ground. But I was already there; I kicked him under his stomach, making him lift quickly into the sky again at a twisted angle. I flung a series of punches all over his body.

His body turned in every imaginable direction as my punches hit him. From the corner of my eye, I saw him picking up his foot. Too late I realised his intended target. I bent over, gasping in pain, while my hands flew instinctively to my crotch, putting pressure on it, trying to lessen the agony.

His deep laughed collided with my ears as he started to assault me. But I used my ki to push him away. He stumbled backwards a few yards and stared me down. "I hope you weren't planning on having children someday." He mocked with a slight snicker and I scowled at him.

"Very funny," I retorted and sent a sudden energy beam straight at him. His eyes widened and I saw the beam reflect in his eyes as he bent backwards at a 180 degree angle. I shot more power into the beam and teleported above him, I waited another two seconds for the blast to speed by and instantly shot a bomb-like blast into his face.

He never even saw it coming.

He flew with a magnificent speed down towards the planet, but before he could hit the ground I teleported underneath him. I charged power in my leg and kicked him back into the sky. His speed started to decreased as he got higher; I used that to my advantaged and delivered a devastating blow to his side, making him collide with the nearby mountain.

Not giving him the chance to recuperate, I charged a huge ball in both my hands that were lifted in the air above my head. The dark-blue, almost navy, coloured ball grew in my grasp as I waited for Gotchi to emerge from the giant rock.

Right on cue he jumped out from the mountain side with a beam heading straight towards me. I seized the opportunity to fling my giant ball of energy to him; it swallowed his pathetic attempt of an attack, but as it neared him, I saw him shoot his hands out in front of, trying to stop the impact.

Surprise coloured my features as I saw him successfully catching the ball in his two open palms, but smiled as I saw it driving him even deeper into the rock. He let out a frustrated yell as he was drove by the energy.

A final cry emitted from his mouth as he shot his arms up, steering the ball into a different direction, it shot up into the sky and he stared at me smugly.

_Not so fast…_

I teleported to my strong ball, just before it could penetrate the atmosphere of the Kai's realm, and kicked it back down to Gotchi. I heard him mutter a silent curse under his breath as he tried to outrun the energy, but failed.

He yelled agonized as he sped towards the planet's surface with the angry ball above his head. The ball exploded, the energy so intense that it wiped the surface of the planet clean of all life, leaving just a barren, brown wasteland behind.

I frowned as I followed his ki to a nearby cliff. I flew quickly to the location and saw him resting, laying on his back on the tall pedestal-like cliff.

"You almost had me…" He gasped out as he shakily got to his feet.

I pouted annoyed. "Not good enough for me!" I yelled and swept his feet from under him, making him crash on his side on the cliff. He lay on the ground, panting like a dog. I extended my open palm towards his heart, already charging a blast in my arm.

"Your time is up…" I whispered without any trace of emotion for the other me in my voice.

He lifted his open palm up quickly towards his heart, like he was planning to shield it from my beam. I scoffed.

_Not going to happen buddy._

I was stunned to see him deflect my piercingly sharp beam back towards me. I didn't have time to react; I felt with dismay how _my_ attack stabbed through my blades.

A pain greater than that I have felt in years, sped to my shoulder where the blast entered and shot through, and seeped into my muscles, making it feel even worse. _Right, pain is heightened when you are alive_… I remembered with annoyance. I cursed the fact that I somehow got resurrected; pained that I couldn't enquire the mild numbing sensation death gives to pain…

"Not quite…" He said menacingly as he charged me; his arms curled tightly around my waist. He held me in a death grip and my struggles were useless as he flew directly down to the planet, with me securely in his slender arms. He was trying to use momentum and gravity, combined, to his advantage, to increase the damage done to me when I crash on the planet's surface.

I followed my Saiyan instincts, probably the only option I had left, and bit him on his arm.

Surprised by my sudden assault, he lessened his grip and only held on to me with his right, unbitten arm. I jolted my remaining restrained arm out of his grip and used momentum to _my_ advantage; I used his arm as a rope and swung myself around to the other side of his body, actually succeeding in sitting on his back.

Pretending that I was surfing, and Gotchi's body being the surfboard, I shakily got in a standing position on his back, just before we could hit the ground. I send some energy to the soles of my feet, using more of my force and the position on his back to my advantage, to bury him even deeper into the ground. I jumped up from the newly created hole his body just made, scraping the dirt and small rocks that landed in and on my clothes lightly off with my hands, and landed gracefully on the grass above.

I flinched as a shock pain jolted through my knees as I went to stand on my feet. But I was nevertheless grateful that that was the only injury I enquired from this risky attack.

I stared down the hole and saw that he was not making any attempt to get up or even move for that matter. _He was fried_, I thought as smoke emitted from his still body.

I extended my arm to the hole, planning to end him with a semi-powerful wave. But before I could even charge the energy, I got unexpectedly tackled to the ground by an unseen force. Something flabby bounced wildly around on my face as we travelled mid-air; my face buried in what I presume was his stomach. As I opened my eyes all I could see was pink.

_Buu?_

Wasn't he killed by my evil half a few moments earlier?

He threw me on the ground, making me mouth a good amount of dirt, and stared me down with his permanent squinting eyes. I sat on my haunches ready to pounce. With my head leading the way, I jumped towards him; my head collided with his fat abdomen and jiggled through my body as I was shot in the opposite direction by the mere dexterity of the fat.

Damn obesity!

I skidded backwards quite a distance away, and was brought to a stop by two large hands on my back, restricting any further movement. Smoke was settling from my shoes from the skid and drifted up ominously till my upper thigh.

"Thanks Dad." I thanked my father without looking back as Buu started walking, no, more like wobbling, towards me and my friends. My eyes never left his as he approached us.

"I thought you were killed." I aired my thoughts at the blob who just laughed at me.

"Buu can't die." He stated in his overly-squeaky five-year-old voice.

"Let me care to explain." Raphael suddenly appeared out of thin air next to Buu with a broad smile on his full lips. "Buu possesses the ability to reassemble himself; regenerate if you will. I believe the one you call Cell also possessed this ability." He smiled as he looked at me from underneath his bangs. "Only a single atom-like DNA-string must still be unscathed for him to regenerate, no matter how big the damage was inflicted on him." His sinister evil cackle filled the air.

I rolled my eyes. "Of course he can." I breathed. It seemed like it was the latest trend for villain to harness the regenerating ability, and they were all following it religiously!

"My warrior doesn't seem so useless now, does he?" Raphael taunted.

"Let's put that to the test…" I quickly charged a beam in my hand and shot it right through Buu's stomach. Not looking damaged at all, he simply bended forward to get a more closely look at the giant hole occupying his lower stomach. He put his whole arm , childishly through it, while making spaceship-like noises.

"That make Buu tickle!" He started laughing like a baby gorilla as he kept pulling his hand in and out of the hole.

"That is enough Buu." Raphael reprimanded his minion, with a slight embarrassed tone in his voice.

_We will take Raphael, you just focus on Buu._ Gailo's voice strategized inside my head.

I nodded. Ready when you are.

Reynard yelled a perplexed yell, distracting Raphael, its abruptness actually making the destroyer of worlds flinch, giving me the chance to tackle Buu. We landed a few hundred metres back, almost near the place I left Gotchi.

Buu looked at me with his squinted eyes angrily. "Boy hurt Buu!" He yelled and thick white smoke streamed out of his pore-like holes on his head while making that ghastly ''kettle boiling over'' screech.

Buu jumped onto my body, his chubby legs curling abound my waist. I struggled to stay on my feet and swayed around like a drunken hobo as he punched me repeatedly through my face.

After a while the extreme weight of the obese warrior and his repeated strong punches, just became too much and I collapsed to the ground, the overweight sumo-wrestler crushing my ribs; his legs were still curled around my middle.

I used a good amount of energy, and a lot of upper body strength, to spin the horrid creature around; they tables were turned; I was the one sitting on _him _now..

I jumped up into the air to get more force behind my attack, and was pleased to see him struggle to get up; poor thing probably hasn't ever seen his feet because of that wobbling belly! I fell down, both my feet close together as all my weight and the force of momentum combined with gravity struck him in his belly.

He gasped out in pain, but grabbed my foot in one of his chubby pink arms, trying to trip me. I did stumble a bit, but I used my arms swinging around my body to regain my balance and stub on his fingers with my free foot.

I felt his bones crush under my grasp, but oddly enough, that didn't slow him down.

He flubbed his flabby horn-like thing on his forehead towards me, making it extend like a piece of gum and binding around my neck like a rodeo-rope. I didn't know it could do that!

He increased the pressure and I started to choke. Choking sounds escaped my throat as he lifted me up in the air with that thing. My feet kicked the air wildly, trying to get out of his hold, but he just smiled happily up at me.

I was starting to get dizzy from the lack of oxygen and my vision became a blur. I have to act fast!

I formed a sharp disk, similar to Krillen's destructo disk technique, in my hand and desperately swung it towards his flabby horn.

He fell backwards from the unexpected pain and I fell flat on my knees, oxygen flooding through my lungs again. A piece of my hair also seemed to have fallen victim to my escape, but a small price to pay...

"Buu!" Raphael shouted to his minion while being attacked by every one of my friends and comrades. "Don't forget what I told you to do!"

Buu's eyes lit up as he stood on his two feet again. "Right, Buu do now!" He answered his master. I pressed my arm on my upper leg for support as I got up, still a little dizzy after the loss of oxygen.

"So what must Buu do?" I tried to make small-talk with the warrior, while trying to catch my breath.

"Buu not telling!" He yelled loudly and formed three round pink rings with his hands; it looked as if they were made of rubber, and flung them towards me.

I quickly flew up in the sky, scraping by the weird rings and laughed at Buu. "That was pathetic!" I insulted him, which made him chuckle; putting his hands in front of his mouth as he laughed.

Too late I saw the three rings in a straight line above my head. I frowned and fired a few blasts at the rubber things, but that didn't seem to affect them; they were still heading full speed down towards me. _Crap!_ I thought in horror and flew forward, trying to escape the rings. I don't even want to know what they will do to me!

I sped towards Buu, trying to get the rings to go after him instead, but I didn't reach him in time. I was not fast enough.

The three rings flew over my body and tightened, making me lose my balance and fall downwards, momentum still carrying me a medium-length distance before I came to a complete standstill.

Ignoring the uncomfortable pain of my scraped knees, I wiggled like a worm on the ground, not able to move a muscle in the holds of the rings.

Buu's laugh filled the area and he merrily skipped to the hole Gotchi still resided in. He jumped into it and came out with my doppelganger safely draped over his broad shoulder.

"What are you doing?" I yelled at the blob a few yards away. "I am not done with you yet!"

He placed the unconscious Gotchi gently on the ground; he was ignoring me flatly. Buu's back was turned to me, so I couldn't see what he was doing.

What are they planning?

I saw Buu's skin on his back begin to wobble and get loose; a part of it actually falling to the ground, looking like a piece of rotting blob, and started moving. I had to keep myself from vomiting at the nauseating sight. I saw the pink goo slowly find its way to Gotchi's feet and slowly travel up his body, starting to consume him.

It completely covered my replica in a pink blanket; he was totally consumed by the goo now, from head to toes. The goo started to move again; looking like water that is boiling, and the whole mess shot up to Buu's body; colliding with his oversized stomach.

My eyes widened in horror as I perceived what was happening. It looked like Buu was somehow morphing with Gotchi!

After a while and after a blinding light emitted from Buu, I gasped.

Before me stood a new warrior now, not the pink blob I was used to seeing. He has somehow transformed into a lean warrior, his flubbing belly replaced with a ripped six-pack, his chubby face replaced with a thin, yet muscular face…

The power I sensed that was coming from his body was mind boggling; equally levelling the power I had in my Super Saiyan 4 transformation…

_Omw! What will happen next? Is Gohan seriously alive, or is there another freaky twist to that part? What happened to Buu? And is he, in his new form, maybe stronger than Gohan?_

*mocking voice* I guess you'll have to wait until next week to find out!

Have a good one! :D 


	25. Chapter 24: Extreme messures

_Hey there guys! _

_I am so sorry that I am posting this chapter so late, but I had a crazy week at school! It was the matric speeches, the matric farewell, annual school play (I was the lead :D), and the matric fashion show this week! (Crazy busy I know!)_

Oh well, I cannot freeze time, so I hope this was worth the wait.

_I saw that I got quite a number of subscribers this week also! Welcome to you all! :D _

_*Bows out of respect* for my dearest reviewers: __MidnightEvanescence, Timmylaw, Vegetaslave__87, Gohan4evamine, starsoldier, Vienne, Unwanted half Saiyan demon, ky111, rawr and Sirius potter2._

*Enjoy!

**CHAPTER 24: Extreme Times Calls for Extreme Measures**

(Goku's POV)

I internally cringed as the new Buu snapped his neck and cracked his fingers. He turned his neck around 360 degrees and twisted it back, loosening it. I shook off the uneasy feeling that settled in my stomach and stared him down with a determined frown on my brow; _Gohan will handle this. Gohan can handle this…_I reassured myself.

He turned his head askew and the most bone-chilling smile I have ever witnessed in my life, formed on his lips. He was showing off all his carnivorous teeth in the process. I scrutinized my son's expression, but found that he wasn't showing any emotion other than self-assurance.

The new Buu took large steps towards Gohan, who didn't move an inch; he just stood, with that peculiar frown on his face, _still_, watching his foe intently as he neared him. Buu stopped in front of him; they were about a foot's length apart. He towered over my offspring greatly; Gohan barely reached his hip.

"This is getting really boring." Raphael yawned from the other side of Buu and Gohan. "Time to create some havoc..." He sung, almost opera-like before he disappeared.

"He is going to otherworld." Luna commented with a slight arch in her perfectly plucked eyebrows.

Gailo sighed. "He is trying to get us away from them; he wants to prevent us from aiding Gohan when he needs us."

Reynard scoffed. "As if Gohan needs our help; he is on fire!"

"Yes, but I would feel much safer if some of you stay behind while the others take on Raphael." The leader of the guard stated. He turned around to face everyone. "All of us will go; we all know how powerful and sneaky Raphael can be, except Rey, Luna and Magnar. You will stay behind with the earthlings and help if it comes to it." He strategized.

Reynard saluted him. "Ay, Ay Captain."

Gailo nodded and teleported away with the majority of the guard.

Luna fell down on her butt with her arms crossed in front of her chest. An annoyed expression rested on her features. "They keep underestimating me." She breathed upset.

I also plopped down to the ground, sitting comfortably on the soft grass as I turned my gaze to the two on the battlefield.

Buu smiled that same horrifying smile down to my son; but instead of cringing (like I did); Gohan crossed his arms over his chest defiantly.

"So, hotshot, you want to fight the _real _Majin Buu?" Buu asked; his irritating squeaky voice was replaced with a manlier, more threating, deep voice.

Gohan chuckled without a hint of humour in his voice. "Nah." He said in a bored tone. "I dressed in my gi and transformed into my third Saiyan state for a lovely picnic out here in the valley." His hands gestured around him wildly, sarcasm deeply embedded in his voice.

Buu smiled slightly at Gohan's statement and retracted his arm back; abruptly shooting it forward to Gohan's face. Gohan caught the pink clenched fist in his hand without losing Buu's eye contact. A sudden loud yell erupted from his mouth and a power so great, that it sent a sudden shockwave through my entire being, surrounded his body.

His yell intensified and a stronger gust of power blew us all away. I tried standing on my feet but it was futile, I was swept away like a leaf in an angry tornado. Not even the other members in the magisterial army could keep their usual mighty composure.

I felt dazzled as I got up, my eyes meeting the brilliant white flame engulfing my youngest' body. It blazed gracefully as it flickered and danced upward and downward like an excited candle; burning my sockets as I stared into its gloriousness; it reminded me of the sun's surface.

My son looked like a majestic creature with the combination of silver hair and bright, yet intriguing red eyes, looking ready to pounce and rip anyone and anything who angers him into unrecognisable pieces…

Gohan swept Buu's left foot from under him, making him tumble to the side, and quickly jumped into the air, getting on the same level as his face. He let out a sharp cry as he elbowed Buu across the face on his cheek. Buu stumbled a few paces back after the impact.

Gohan softly floated down to the surface again, placing his right foot on the ground first, before he went to stand properly. A soft smile formed on his lips as he saw the big dent his elbow had left in Buu's face.

Buu barred his fangs agitatedly at my son. "You are making a big mistake…" He sneered; his tone of voice reminded me of the hiss of a snake. "I am going to make you dead!"

Gohan waited for Buu to finish speaking before he made his next move. He jumped up so quickly that it escaped my eyes, and kicked Buu right in the stomach making him skid back a long distance; smoke due to the fiction settling around his feet. Gohan landed softly behind him, their backs were now facing each other.

Buu turned his neck around without moving his body, so he could look over his shoulder at his opponent. "You…" He breathed with a growl. "Stupid boy."

Gohan didn't move a muscle; he stayed in his silent position with his back faced to Buu, I saw that his eyes were closed. I smiled, I knew that expression; he was concentrating on all the ki's and sounds around him for miles, making sure that he wasn't missing any other evil vibes that might have escaped him before. A feeling of pride washed through my body_; I taught him that!_

The pink warrior stared intently at Gohan's back, waiting for him to turn around with anticipation clearly engraved on his features. His face transformed from pink to red as he realized that my son was mocking him.

Buu let out an angered set of growls. "Stop ignoring me!" He yelled and aimed his quivering fist at Gohan's back. Gohan spun around too quickly for the eye to see and caught his foe's fist in his own for the second time this day.

Buu's grunts grew more agitated when Gohan didn't lessen his grip. I saw a slight smile starting to twitch up the corner of his lips as he witnessed Buu's struggles from a first-person's view.

He turned Buu's arm around, making the former blob scream out in pain. He used this stance to his advantage and abruptly embedded his right foot under Buu's jaw, making him tumble backwards, but as he was in the process of falling, Gohan appeared underneath him and punched him in the stomach with both his hands.

Buu's back bent into an unnatural angle as he gasped out in pain. Gohan stared him down with the same cold, bone chilling stare I remembered him having during the Cell Games; waiting patiently for his opponent to get back on his feet again.

Just as Buu raised himself, with great struggle, from the hard ground, Gohan's rock-hard elbow connected with his abdomen. The attack was so severe that Buu's eyes dilated so wide that it seemed as if they were going to pop out of his head.

He doubled over in pain and spit-up a gooey, thick cream-coloured liquid over my son's shoulder.

A disgusted frown formed on the hybrid's brows as he retracted his limb from the pink creature's stomach. Both of Buu's arms flew instinctively to his stomach as he backed away at a turtle-like pace; he was still gasping wildly, in desperate need for some oxygen.

"I cannot fathom how much Gohan has improved over the years…" Piccolo's voice trailed off. "He is not a fighter anymore, he is a warrior." Pride clung to Gohan's first sensei's voice.

"No kidding, I barely recognise him." I commented.

Piccolo scoffed. "You were so absent in his life, that doesn't surprise me at all; I must say, I am surprised that you remembered his name after all these years." He retorted.

I ignored his rude comment and turned to Gomih. "You said that the sensei that trained Gohan, also trained you?" I tried to steer the conversation to another safer topic; my patience getting real thin for Piccolo's constant hostile mood towards me.

She nodded and tore her chocolate brown eyes from the battle, shifting it to my gaze. "Yup; he also has a sort of hyperbolic time chamber on his realm where he trained me for a year." Her eyes lit up with excitement. "Daddy, I learned more from him in one year than I have ever learned from you, Piccolo and Vegeta over all my life!"

I forced a smile; I was kind of jealous that Gomih thought that someone else was a better teacher than me, her Dad! "That is great sweetie."

Vegeta scoffed. "He can't be that good." He remarked bitterly.

Gomih raised her eyebrows and placed her hands on both her hips. "We will see about that Veg; as soon as this war thing is over, I take you on." She challenged.

He shrugged indifferently. "Bring it on, harpy junior."

I saw Gomih roll her eyes from my peripheral vision when I turned my gaze to the fight again.

Gohan got out of his flawless fighting stance and stood up straight as he smiled arrogantly at the quivering Buu, who was still heaving and caressing his sore abdomen.

"What's wrong? I thought you said something about making me dead…" He mocked his injured opponent.

Buu grunted angrily after Gohan's mock and uncrossed his arms from his middle. With a severely bruised ego fuelling his movement, he also got up straight and shot his arms above his head, followed by a short yell. Small traces of lightning momentarily danced around the massive dent Gohan's elbow left behind, and quickly stopped when his flesh popped back up like it was made of rubber.

"Buu make you dead now!" The pink fighter yelled with an angered expression. "What Buu say, Buu do!" He jumped into the air and was heading straight towards Gohan with a great speed. "Now you die!" He yelled mid-air as he aimed his right fist directly at my son's head.

Gohan dodged the first punch with ease, side-stepping it quickly before it could hit him. Buu retracted his remaining fist past his head, to get momentum, and flung it speedily towards Gohan again in a second attempt; this time my son crossed his arms in front of his head in an X-formation as he blocked the potentially devastating blow.

Buu fumed and continued to assault my son with a series of kicks and punches, but neither of them ever connected with his body; he caught each and every one of the approaching fists or feet, to Buu's utter frustration.

Buu jumped backward a few paces, staring right into the smug eyes of my demi-Saiyan. He bowed his head and closed his eyes shut as he uttered an agonised yell. "Buu had enough of this!" He bellowed and shot like a bullet out of a gun toward my son.

Gohan braced himself for an attack that never came; just before Buu could directly crash into Gohan's body, he jumped into the air with a retracted fist, but I saw in Gohan's expression that he was anticipating this move. Buu thrust a magnitude of fists to my son's head, but none ever actually hit him.

With the naked eye, it seemed like Gohan was standing perfectly still, not moving an inch; the punches going straight through him, but as I concentrated more of my ki on his spot, it was noticeable that he was moving very quickly.

Buu growled and flattened his fist high above his head, it looked like he was playing 'paper' in the classic 'rock, paper, scissors' game, and tried to slice it through Gohan's middle, but Gohan jumped up into the air, making one spin in the middle of the half-circle. Using gravity and momentum to his advantage he jumped forward immediately as he reached the ground, pushing more force into the attempt with his ki.

Buu's back was still turned to the scene that was occurring behind him. His head started to turn around, in slow-motion, but his head was barely turned halfway when Gohan's knee collided with his face, making him fall flat on his back; skidding backwards at a great speed.

After a few hundred metres he stopped; a deep ditch was left behind by his friction. Gohan teleported a few feet away from the pink warrior with a deep frown on his brow. He took two steps forward towards the quivering Buu, with his arms crossed over his chest.

"You can get up now; I know you are not hurt." Gohan stated in an 'as a matter of fact' tone. "Not from an attack like that."

Buu lifted his head up first, staring at Gohan with a slight arrogant smile on his lips. He pushed all his weight to his arms as he pushed himself up on his feet in one swift movement. His head was turned askew as he stared Gohan down with a puzzled expression.

Gomih grunted. "Ugh, what a faker, he is not hurt." He commented besides me.

But Gohan smiled as he noticed that Buu was okay. I sighed; Saiyan battle-lust seriously always bites him in the butt.

Buu mimicked the happy gesture as he wiped a few drops of stray purple blood off the corner of his mouth. "Time to fight real." He stated and clenched his fists next to his sides. I flinched as a set of pink feet appeared in front of me.

Sensing the danger, I immediately transformed into my second Super Saiyan state, already in a fighting stance. I saw that the others did the same. "What are you..?" Before I could finish my sentence, Gohan appeared in front of us with his left forefinger on Buu's chest. He slowly pushed the Majin away about a metre with only his finger.

"You stay away from them." He ordered in a bone-chilling voice. "Your fight is with me," He pointed to us. ",not them…"

Buu smiled. "They can't defend themselves…" He observed.

"Say that again punk!" Vegeta challenged as he transformed into his first Super Saiyan form.

He smiled deviously as he tore Gohan's finger from his chest. "You are weak, Buu is strong." He said again; obviously making the egocentric Vegeta and Piccolo fume.

"Stop it!" Gohan ordered while looking over his shoulder at us. He tackled Buu, getting his arms around his waist in the process, and throwing him in the opposite direction as us.

"We don't need him to fight our battles for us." Vegeta spat. "We can handle that pink faggot ourselves."

"Vegeta, don't be an idiot; you can surely feel the major difference in power: Buu towers over us greatly." I reasoned.

He growled and squinted his eyes angrily at me. "What did you call me?" He asked agitated as he grabbed my shirt in his fist.

Before I could answer, I let out a horrified shriek as something gooey engulfed me along with Vegeta. It consumed my entire being and made me choke as it slithered into my mouth and nose, rendering me breathless. I desperately tried to fight it, but as black splotches started to fill my vision I knew that it was too late…

(Gohan's POV)

Piccolo's agonised yell, and all my other friend's gasps caught my attention behind me. I turned around and my mouth fell open as I saw Piccolo, Dad and Vegeta's whole beings engulfed by the same pink goo that previously assaulted Gotchi. "NO!" My shocked voice rang through the planet.

Buu shook wildly as he laughed. I let go of him and teleported to Dad and Vegeta's side, who were both shoved together in one blob. Luna, Rey and Magnar were all scratching at the pink goo, trying desperately to get it off their bodies.

"It won't come off!" Luna yelled frightened. "It is like the goo attached itself to their flesh!" I noticed through her voice that she was on the brink of tears.

All their attempts were left futile when the blob shot from under their grasp towards Buu, colliding head-on with his stomach.

"This can't be happening…" Gomih's stunned voice breathed disbelievingly.

All of our gazes turned to Piccolo who heaved and grunted heavily as he tried to fight off the ghastly goo.

He punched and kicked the goo violently with all his might. I didn't waste any time, I was soon next to him and tried pulling it off him, but suddenly it tightened, mummifying him completely. The fierce movement under the blob ceased as it started to shoot towards Buu.

"No!" I yelled with a tear in my eye. I jumped forward and extended my arms in front of me, jumping into the blob's path. My muscles bulked and started to quiver under the strain of the blob that desperately tried to reach its master.

With all my might I started to push back, but the blob made me screech backward towards Buu. My arms bended under the extreme pressure and flashed past me. I heaved with dread in my eyes as I saw it had a clear path to Buu.

I watched in horror as the wiggly blob merged with its creator, making Buu glow again like he did the first time when he merged with Gotchi.

I threw my hands in front of my face to shield them against the streaming light. As I let go and rested my hands next to my sides, I stared wide-eyed at the new appearance of Buu. His physical appearance didn't change much; the flabby horn seemed longer and his face was more squared, but his aura held a new vibe of intelligence that never paired with Buu before...

After a few stretches he floated down to where I was standing. "So Gohan, what do you think of it?" A cocky smile formed on his lips as he spoke with a voice that held a vast amount of intelligence, similar to the aura that shined from his body.

I frowned at that. _Piccolo… _

He looked himself over for the first time from the transition; examining his hands, staring at it a few moments before he spoke again. "New clothes to match my figure and some new abilities as well..." He remarked; the illiterate tone that used to occupy his voice completely vanished.

He shot his clenched fist next to his sides. I cringed as I recognised the stance; Vegeta's power-up stance…

The whole planet started to shake and crack underneath our feet as he unleashed his power. I felt Vegeta, my dad and Piccolo's ki mixed in with his. This bastard was no better than Cell.

"Guys, get out of here!" My alarmed voice rang through the planet, shaking with the tremors the planet made as Buu released his energy.

"But…" Luna started.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to calm myself.

"This is not a negotiation Luna." My eyes did not leave that of Buu's; he was almost done transforming. "If you do not leave this planet immediately, I will forcefully escort you from here myself." A heavy weight of threat clung to my voice.

She frowned at me. "You don't tell me what to do."

"Luna, please…" I begged. "Just this once, listen to me just this once."

I just wanted them as far away from here as possible. I knew that when Buu's transition was complete, that we would be equally matched, and that would be a catastrophic battle. That would spell trouble for me if they hang around, making me worry about them instead of the fight.

"Don't join me!" I yelled at Reynard's approaching form. I forced a whimsical smile at my dearest friend. "No offence bro, but you will just slow me down!"

"I hate doing nothing!" Reynard grunted next to me.

"You and me both Buddy…" Magnar breathed and put his arm on Reynard's tense shoulder.

"Glad we are on the same page." I stated impatiently. "Now get the hell out of here."

"Fine!" Luna yelled angrily and teleported away. Magnar and to my surprise, my sister, soon followed, but Rey stayed behind with Trunks.

Reynard got a wary smile on his lips as he scratched the back of his head. "I am not sure if you may enter the sacred lands of Magisterial…" He directed to the lavender haired Saiyan.

Trunks' mouth fell open. "Are you really going to bring up such trivial idiocy at a time like this?!" He pointed to the planet shaking wildly like a fat woman's thighs during exercises. "The planet could explode any minute now!" He grabbed Reynard by his collar.

"Reynard get out of here!" I yelled loudly in angst, Buu was finished with his power-up.

"Reynard this, Reynard that; I am everybody's slave!" He moaned as he placed one of his fingers disgustedly on Trunks' shoulder and teleported away.

A feeling of relief settled in my stomach when I felt them all safely away at Magisterial's realm, I just wish I could have said the same about Dad, Vegeta and Piccolo.

Buu smiled down at me. "I suppose the sudden loss of your friends and family have left you speechless Gohan; hurry and drain your tears so we can fight!" He snickered as he saw my face.

"How could you do that to them?!" I growled. "They have been fair in this fight from the start! They had nothing to do with it, they did not intervene!"

He pointed his forefinger at me. "I am not interested in fairness; I am interested in the extinction of every living creature in this universe." His voice was cold. "A good fighter knows his mental and physical limitations, but a great fighter would figure a way around them." He defiantly placed his hands on his hips.

"From the moment that I have felt your power I knew I was beaten, and then I thought about something." He smiled deviously. "If I could hatch a plan to absorb Piccolo and Goku along with the one you named Gotchi, no living force on this boring pathetic planet would ever stand a chance against me again." He chuckled softly. "Getting Vegeta too was a pleasant bonus… He was at the wrong place at the wrong time." For some reason he found that very funny.

He stared right into my eyes; I suppressed the feeling to flinch at his cold black and red eyes. "And then another important factor came to mind, you Saiyans are worthless to me when you are in your base form; I cannot control your transformations after you have been absorbed into my body." He pouted. "Which I learned after I absorbed Gotchi; fortunately for me he was still very powerful, even in his base, but not enough for me to overpower you. So I waited…" His voice trailed off. "I waited for the perfect chance to enrage your father 'till the point he transformed; all I had to do was get him angry…"

I stared him down with angry squinted eyes. "Congratulations, you got _me_ angry too." My smile turned arrogant. "You know, if you wanted the best, you should have come after _me_. You just absorbed the wrong super Saiyans Buu, but if you are using Piccolo's brain, you probably already know that."

He laughed deeply and pointed at me. "I didn't absorb you, because I needed a punching bag. What is the point in having strength but there is nothing to hit. I kept you around because I am stronger than ever, and I have to try it on someone."

My determined smile did not falter. "Sounds fine…" I choked out with hatred. "I am all yours Buu," I got into a crouching fighting stance. "Give it your best shot!" I challenged.

He shook his head slowly with a slight smile on his face. "All right then, but be warned, in my new super form, I have the body of Buu, the intensity of Goku and Vegeta and all the cunning of a Namek, ready to drive the nails into your coffin."

I rolled my eyes at his failed attempt of a threat. "I am tougher than my dad and Vegeta and smarter than Piccolo, so I guess the only thing you have to worry about, is if I am stronger than you." I countered.

As he clenched and unclenched his fists he smiled brilliantly, showing off all his sharp carnivorous teeth. "You know I am going to kill you Gohan…" He stated in a tone, that I should have found it obvious.

My eyes did not leave his gaze. "Let's hold off on the gravestone, Majin Buu."

Sensing that he was silently charging some energy for an attack, I jumped up into the air; I saw that he mimicked the gesture and was at the same level as me. With my feet resting about shoulder's width from my body and my arms crossed nonchalantly across my chest, I floated in the air, slowly in a circular motion.

Without any further adduce, I made the first move; I sprinted toward him fist-first and delivered the first punch, but he quickly retaliated and in no time we were both driven through the air by our separate punches and kicks. Neither of our blows actually did damage at first, we were both blocking the blows accurately.

I was lucky to find a gap in his flawless defence, and shot a quick elbow-blow up his chin. The crunch sound of his teeth clicking together vibrated through his entire body. But that attack made _me_ open for an attack as well, and to my surprise, he recovered quick enough to send a bone crushing punch to my face.

Fuelled by anger, pain and pride, I threw a quickly charged beam right into his face, surprise coloured his features as the bright light blue beam reflected in his eyes. The energy of the beam drove him back; he came to a standstill about five metres away with a still shocked expression on his face; but the confused stare quickly turned into a scowl as he saw my smiling face.

Without uttering another word, we both sped to each other and clashed right in the middle. Momentum was on my side, and the force tried to knock him back, but I shot my right arm out to catch him and flung him to the ground, but he stopped himself right on time before he could crash into the stream.

I muttered a silent curse under my breath at my failed attempt. What is wrong with me? That was a rooky mistake! I have been trained better than that.

We engaged in an equal levelled boxing match in the sky as he reached me again. We flew from the east to the west with an expeditive speed from horizon to horizon. I am sure that if the others were here that they would only be able to see the energy waves made when the two mindboggling powers clashed with each other, not our actual movement.

The sound that lighting made as it thundered was created with each of our punches that collided with one another.

Screw this!

I teleported away from his constant array of attacks, and reappeared behind him. He spun around quickly, but was greeted by my incredibly strong kick across his unsuspecting face before he could make a move, but as soon as the blow was received he shot upright and punched me through my face, so hard that I tumbled down, looking like I was participating in a 'how low can you go' competition.

I growled as the stinging pain travelled through my jaw line.

"You see, I…" He started to say, but I interrupted his speech attempt by throwing all my weight forward with extended arms, directly into his stomach area. I felt how his breath escaped his lungs and rushed out of his system underneath my grasp, as he tumbled backwards with closed eyes.

His body moved past me in slow-motion, but as his foot scraped by me, I tuned into combat mode again, grasping his right leg, around the ankles, with both my hands and using his weight to his disadvantage; I let out a small yell as I pushed some of my ki into my biceps as I threw him down toward the rocky landscape with a great force.

I smiled as gravity did its job: he blasted through the mountains, the giant rocks collapsing as soon as he exited.

I pulled my arms to my side as I sped up towards his collapsing frame, but I was surprised to see a pink ball emerge from the dust cloud Buu resided in. I stopped in my tracks and flew upwards, trying to get out of the ball's path, but saw that it followed my every movement. I sighed irritated, as I waited for the energy to near me, so I could kick it out of my way. It flew past my head and into the deep space, leaving a grand display of fireworks as it exploded.

Annoyance filled my body as I saw another pink ball heading for me, but this time I teleported away just before it could hit me. It exploded on the exact spot I had levitated just a few moments ago, leaving a pink array of smog-like clouds behind.

I flinched as I felt Buu's presence behind me all of a sudden. I turned around, only to see a purple-ish energy beam rushing toward me. I instinctively jumped up; just barely scraping by the long beam. Thank goodness it wasn't one of those beams that follow you where ever you go!

Pink-ish smoke shot up in the sky as it collided with the ground.

I saw him aiming another hand in my direction, but I quickly jumped up the sides of the mountain to gain leverage while I charged _my_ blast, and as soon as I was in the clearing I retracted both my hands together to my left side and charged the last needed energy together to form an attack. A yellow ball started to glow in my palms and I flung that energy downward to Buu's location.

He let out a yell as he released _his_pink wave, probably strategizing to block my blow with his blow.

The two powerful energies met precisely in the middle, exactly as I anticipated and grew bigger and bigger into a giant ball of solid energy as we pushed more of our power into it. After a while it grew so big that it started to neutralize mountains and trees it came in contact with.

I frowned as I felt my arm begin to quiver with strain from the blast. I saw him charge a narrower beam in his left arm, shooting it right through his original blast. It travelled straight through the collided giant energy ball and finally through _my_muscular beam before it shot out towards my body.

_What the hell? _Was the last thought I thought before the narrow beam shot through my right shoulder, making me let go of my grasp on the blast.

Too late I realized that that attempt made it possible for his original blast to overpower mine, and consume me. Both my, and his beam, engulfed my body. I uttered a strong yell as the burning physicality churned on my skin and started to gnaw at my flesh, but the intense energy of Buu and me combined cancelled the noise, making my agonised scream fall on deaf ears.

The energy of the fused beams ran out and exploded, after what seemed like an eternity, with me still left vulnerable in the centre of it, but like a body that rejected a new organ after a transplant, I was spit out from the ball, making it explode in the process and shooting me towards a nearby mountain.

Too weak to prevent the collision, I shot, back first, into the giant rock. My face twisted into a frenzy of pained emotions as I bounced from the mountain side back into the air, only to fall, face first, into the solid, sharp, hot ground.

_Ah gravity, thou art a heartless bastard…_ I cursed the magnetic pull of the Kai's planet.

As I fell, I somehow manoeuvred my hands in front of me, making me dive into the ground as if it were a giant brown pool, and making it possible for me to control my movement. I shifted my arms upwards, allowing the energy to push me above the surface; I popped out like a flower in spring, out of the dry, merciless ground, and fell flat on my face.

Ignoring the screaming pain and throbs of the open sores on my arms and legs provided, I pushed myself up with my crying arms, allowing myself to stand in a doggy-position while strained sweat poured off my face.

_You are fine, you are fine_… I chanted over and over in my head; mind over matter…

I got up and turned around towards Buu's ki just to see him curled into a ball, heading with a flashing speed toward me. I frowned and jumped up, making him crash into the ground instead of my spine.

Seeing that he was embedded in the rock, I jumped crazily like a chamois in its natural habitat from rock to rock in the adamantine landscape, trying to get the longest distance possible away from Buu before I attacked again.

I saw from the corner of my eyes that he managed to wiggle himself out of his stone hold and was heading towards me again in the same annoying ball form.

This is my chance…

I used the side of a small cliff as leverage and kicked myself forward with both my legs, getting more force behind my movement, and extended my left leg forward. I saw him pop up, out of the ball he was before; mimicking my attack precisely. We were now both heading towards each other in the same stance.

Our bodies intertwined as both our attacks hit simultaneously. His right leg rested on my left hip and scraped over my left arm and shoulder to connect with my left cheek.

And on the other side my left leg scraped across his stomach and planted itself nicely under his jaw.

My head twisted backward by the sheer force of his attack, and I felt the same happening to him under my foot. A few reaps of our reserved spit was forced out of our mouths and hung in the air before falling on our clothes.

Both of us grunted in pain, but neither let go.

After a few seconds the force of both kicks tore us apart and made us shoot into the opposite directions of each other. I gracefully spun around and shifted my ki to my legs to slow down and effortlessly land on my feet on a pedestal-like cliff.

As I got upright I saw Buu catch himself with his hands on the cliff lower than the one I was residing upon, and somersaulted as he got to his feet. My fists clenched next to my sides as I saw that he was not damaged at all from the impact while I felt sore.

The wind lightly ruffled my gi as it swept past us into an eastern direction. The grass below also bowed and danced in the slight gust.

"That was fun, Gohan." Buu said through clenched teeth. "Why don't we try it again?"

I ignored him flatly and he laughed. "It seems like you are not as strong as you once thought. Is your confidence dwindling yet?" He mocked in a higher tone than his usual voice.

"Can it…" I blurted out, tired of his annoying voice.

"You know there is no shame in quitting here; you can just walk away any time you want." He suggested in a seductive tone.

I rolled my eyes. "You really think that that is all it is going to take to get me to quit? I must say, I am offended…" My voice trailed off. "But don't you worry big guy, your mind games are not going to work on me." I smiled arrogantly. "I have been trained much better than that." My voice turned more angered as the battle lust seeped through my muscles and bones, fuelling my desire to fight and kill…

"Now let's go again!" I yelled.

I attacked him head on. He turned his neck to the side, making my foot just barely miss him and wrapped his right hand around my ankle. I let out a frustrated grunt as I lifted up my other leg and thrust it towards his face as well, but it had the same fate. I was held in a very awkward position around his neck now.

He chuckled. "Awww, I bet the hurts doesn't it?" He said in a taunting tone. "Your teacher Piccolo is not impressed Gohan…" He continued.

I breathed out heavily through my clenched teeth as I charged a blast and threw it at his face. He retracted his head into his body and popped it out again as soon as the blast went by. "He thought you were smarter than that…" He finished.

His flabby horn curled around my neck and he let go of my feet and dragged me to his face height. "And Vegeta thinks you are a cowardly deserter," His voice turned slower and more menacingly, "just like your father…"

"Keep them out of this!" I choked out, the pressure around my neck made me barely able to speak.

My hands instinctively curled around my restraint, trying to pry it off me, but it was circled around my neck twice, making it impossible to remove. He laughed so hard that I could see his little tongue behind his palate moving and swaying in rhythm with his laughs.

An uneasy feeling spread through my body as he lifted me up in the air, defying gravity, and shot me down to the ground, back first. I gasped as the air left my lungs. He lifted me up again, but this time he flung me towards him, punching me away devastatingly when I was close enough. I spiralled asymmetrical around as I tumbled through the air, the force of momentum too strong to stop.

I stopped myself by kicking against a mountain that came into view, but it was a bad move by my part. The force of momentum combined with the sudden stop, was brutal for my legs. I could have sworn that I felt something snap in my leg as I fell on my back, with my foot dangling loosely above my body in the air.

It would have been less painful to kick an unbreakable concrete wall, barefoot.

I got into a sitting position and wrapped my arms around my throbbing left leg as I surveyed the area, looking intently for Buu. Too late I registered the incoming purple-ish ball of intense energy heading my way. The excruciating pain from my leg made me delusional for a few seconds, seeing four balls heading towards me, but I quickly shook the feeling off and threw my remaining hand defensively in front of my face.

I got dug deeper into the mountain as I caught the ball, its energy steering me backwards without my consent.

Sweat poured off my forehead with strain as I tried to push the blast upward, away from my damaged body. I sensed another ki beam heading for me. "Crap…" I whispered under my breath as the ball exploded in my hand.

I formed a ki-shield around my body, just in the nick of time, preventing more damage to fall upon my already pained figure. Thick brown smoke blasted up into the sky as the energy ball exploded on the ground, making dust rise from their resting place and swirl drunkenly in the sky.

I lowered my ki to untraceable as I sat in a small crevice in a hole the blast left behind to get my thoughts in order and rest for a bit.

The thick smoke did not clear and Buu let out a frustrated yell when he couldn't locate me.

"Remember, not so long ago, _I_ was the one in hiding,_ I _needed time to stall." His voice echoed down. "Is that what you are doing now Gohan?" He asked. "Are _you_ hiding; are _you_ trying to think yourself out of this mess?" His tone was full of mock. "You seem to have forgotten that your beloved Piccolo is a part of me, _and I can sense that you are alive down there kid_." I flinched as Buu's voice turned exactly into Piccolo's unique tone.

He is trying to mess with my head again!

"I might not be able to feel your energy, but I _can_ feel your life force." He confirmed.

I clenched my fist in anger, cursing yet again the fact that I was alive. And then it hit me; a brilliant idea flashed through my mind…

I waited for the smoke to settle and weakly floated up, sitting on a pedestal across from Buu.

"I must say, I am impressed Gohan…" His voice trailed off. "Piccolo has many memories of you being a coward in battle…"

I smiled bitterly as he surfaced one of my sensei's memories. "I was never a coward Buu." I stated. "I was a _child_, a child who knew that he wasn't supposed to witness and go through the things that he did, which made him scared..."

My smile turned more real. "I also thought like you for many years of my life; I thought I was a _coward_, I thought I was _weak_, but I am _not_. It is exactly when one is weak, one is at its strongest… It just took me a while to figure that out." I exclaimed wisely.

He also went to sit, but cross-legged on the opposed cliff he currently resided on. "You know you are going to die now…" He said with a gleeful smile.

I smiled the happiest smile that I could muster without choking. "I know."

He frowned at my strange behaviour, puzzled that I agreed about me about to die. "Death is staring you in the eyes. The reaper is excitedly waiting to claim your final breath, and you _smile_?" His voice was full of confusion. "How can you be so happy about it, happy about your damnation?"

"Because it won't happen by _your_ hands…" I yelled loudly and positioned my right hand directly above my chest.

"What are you doing?" He asked curiously as he started to get up.

I didn't answer him with words, I replied by thrusting my hand into my chest. I gasped at the uncomfortable and painful feeling that surged through my body from my chest area. My fingers were the first to dig through my flesh.

I yelled loudly at the excruciating pain I was inflicting on myself, but still pushed more power into my arm as it dug deeper and deeper, past my protective ribcage, luckily for me, that rib was already broken, making it easier to get through.

Blood involuntarily gushed out of my nose and mouth as my body went into shock.

I smiled softly as I saw Buu froze on his spot in confusion. "You… Ain't.. G..got.. noth…nothing ..on.. nn.. me." I heaved out as I curled my fingers around my throbbing vessel, which recently caused too many problems for me.

"W…what are you...?" Buu stammered out.

I used the last bit of my remaining energy to flash a toothy smile at my foe, as I ripped my heart out of my chest…

_Omg what just happened? Is Gohan maybe possessed again? Was he daydreaming this whole ordeal just now due to his injuries? Or does he have something else up his sleeve (even though his gi doesn't even have any sleeves… O_o) THE HORROR?! _

_Hahaha, keep me posted on your thoughts! _

_See ya! _


	26. Chapter 25: The Innards of Buu

_Greetings my slaves, uh I mean minions, uh I mean loyal readers, yes that's it, hey loyal readers! Whazzup?_

You are lucky, you didn't have to wait as long for the new chapter, since I posted the previous one so late! (Shame on me and my grandkids!) 

_Hahaha, I am a very strange person… Sometimes I wonder how long it would take for a giraffe to puke.. Hahaha sorry, I just wanted to share that with someone! (and yeah, that is the kind of thoughts that travel through my head… Creepy, isn't it? ;D)_

Hahaha so glad that I freaked some of you guys out in the previous gory and creepy ending! *high fives myself* 

_**Thanx: Vegetaslave87, SCstaff, 9thZfighter, Ky111, Sirius Potter 2, rawr, unwanted half Saiyan demon, lotty145 and guest (whatever your real name is… You know who you are… I hope! 0_O) for reviewing and for the few new subscribers and favourites I received in this short week. You guys are totally awesome!  
**__  
SCstaff: Thanks dude! I don't think you have mentioned it before, but you did now! So thanks! Oh and thanx for pointing out that flaw; I meant to write Vegeta, but my brain must have clutched and written Trunks (instead Hahaha silly brain); I corrected it, so thank you!_

unwanted half Saiyan demon: Hey there! This story won't be much longer; 4 chapters max that I will post about it.. *sad face* And I have no idea if I will write a sequel! *scatterbrain* I honestly have no clue on what the sequel's plot with be! But if you have any ideas on a plot I would appreciate it!__

_*Happy reading my sweets! _

_**CHAPTER 25: The Innards of Buu **_

(Gomih's POV)

I appeared alongside Luna and Magnar on Magisterial's realm. I shook my head wildly from left to right, trying to shake off the uncomfortable, dizzy feeling that teleportation over long distances made me feel.

As I brushed the dust off my pants, I looked around me, searching for Trunks. My eyes widened, I forgot that he couldn't use instantaneous movement. I closed my eyes and searched for his unique, strong ki.

I located Trunks and Reynard's ki's still on the Kai's planet where Gohan and Buu were still fighting feverishly.

"Why aren't they here yet?" I yelled out in a panic-stricken voice. "Don't they realize that they could die if they stay there?" I ranted.

Luna shot me a glare and rubber her ears. "Over react much?" She said in an irritated voice. "Rey is not stupid, they will be here."

I was still not put to ease. "Maybe I should..." I started.

Right on cue the two of them flashed in front of us, interrupting my statement.

Reynard landed on his feet, perfectly balanced, while Trunks landed flat on his butt, with his feet dangling in the air.

Reynard gave Trunks a disgusted look before turning toward Magisterial. "Sir I am not responsible for this…" Reynard waved his hands defensively in front of his chest as he spoke to Magisterial, nodding towards Trunks.

Trunks tried to see who Rey was talking to, but the sun was blocking his view, I noticed when I saw his squinted eyes.

A graceful chuckle tickled my ears. "Nonsense, any friend of Gohan's in a friend of mine." Magisterial stated and extended a lean, tanned arm towards my boyfriend. Little grey hairs were glistering on his arms in contact with the sunlight.

Trunks took it without hesitation and he pulled him up. "Thank y…" He started, but froze as his eyes met Magisterial's intriguing eyes, coloured in a strange combination of brown and blue.

Magisterial chuckled. "The pleasure is all mine."

I smiled at Trunks' bewildered expression; everyone seemed to have the same dazzled reaction when they see Magisterial for the first time, I knew I had it too.

"Hey Honeybon." I diverted his attention from the highest of Kai's. I smiled softly as his warm blue eyes met mine, with a lightning spark flashing in his iris; he hated that pet name.

His eyes turned solemn as he took my hands in his. "Sorry about your dad." He whispered almost incoherently.

I smiled softly. "Sorry about _your_ dad." I repeated in the same solemn tone.

"This place is incredible!" He exclaimed, probably trying to get rid of the sad vibe, as he turned around with big excited eyes. He put his arm around my waist and pulled me in for a quick kiss.

"I know!" I agreed enthusiastically. "And this isn't even the most beautiful part in this realm."

Trunks raised his eyebrow at my statement. "Unbelievable..." He breathed in astonishment.

I shifted around in his embrace, making me able to see the others. "What are they doing?" Trunks pointed one of our hands that were intertwined towards the remaining guard of protectors who were currently standing with their eyes closed with frowns on their faces in utter concentration.

"Taking a quick nap?" I suggested jokingly and Trunks chuckled.

Luna growled in annoyance all of a sudden. "Do you mind?" She shot an angered expression our way. "We are trying to watch the fight." She took a deep breath and resumed the position her comrades still resided in.

"How can they watch the fight like that?" Trunks whispered into my right ear in a baffled voice.

"I think it has something to do with ki-manipulation." I speculated. "When Magisterial was training me in that time chamber thingy, he mentioned a few of those techniques, but only taught me instantaneous movement, due to the lack of time." I whispered in a barely audible voice.

He nodded. "They sure are intense..." He exclaimed softly.

"Yeah, but I wish I could knew those techniques." I sighed. "It is kind of boring being left out."

He let out an offended gasp. "Are you bored in _my_ presence?" He asked in shock.

I chuckled softly at his dramatic tone. "Not in the least my sweet, hot, stud," I turned around and planted a peck on his warm lips, "but I want to see how Gohan is doing."

Recognising my more serious tone, he nodded and pointed to Magisterial. "He must know of a way we could spectate the fight too." He suggested.

"Good idea!" I complemented and broke out of his embrace, rushing to Magisterial who also held the same concentrated expression his previous students had.

"I don't mean to interrupt sir, but do you have some way Trunks and I could see the battle occurring on the sacred realm of the Kai's too, we are not as highly trained as your students here?" I asked politely.

Magisterial slowly opened his eyes. "I am so sorry, how rude of me!" He exclaimed in a horrified voice. "I am deeply ashamed for treating my guests in such a despicable manner." He turned his eyes to me. "My deepest apologies."

I felt uncomfortable under his gaze. "Uh, yeah, sure, no problem." I replied to his unnecessary apology; these people are too well-bred, I thought in annoyance.

He smiled at me warmly before walking into a shed-like building, not too far from where we were currently standing, without uttering another word. He came out with a shiny ball in his grasp. He placed blew on the ball before placing it on the grass near us, making stray dust fly off its shiny surface frantically.

Magisterial smiled apologetically. "I apologize, this isn't quite the high definition flat screen televisions you earthlings are accustomed to, but this is the best I have." He said while pointing to the crystal ball.

Trunks and I gathered around the ball and sat cross-legged on the grass opposite each other. "You guys want to join us?" Trunks directed to the group of protectors.

Reynard scoffed playfully. "No offence bro, but I think I will stay here." He pointed to his head. "More megapixels in here." Magnar chuckled and gave his comrade a high five through his closed eyes.

Magisterial chuckled. "Don't mind them." He said and aimed his hand towards the ball, making it glow even more brightly. "It will show in a moment." He informed before he walked away, resuming his previous spot in front of his students.

I stared into the ball, until an image started to circle around. It became clear and I could easily recognise the image of my brother. He was sitting on a cliff, his right hand on his chest, while Buu was standing with his hands in his pockets opposite Gohan, mocking him.

I pouted; there was no sound in this thing... This is annoying.

I saw a bitter smile forming on my brother's lips as he yelled something to Buu. My eyes widened and my mouth fell open as I saw him thrusting his hand into his chest. His mouth crew wider as he probably let out an agonised yell and blood seeped out his mouth and nose in streams before he finally collapsed on his back on the cliff.

Magisterial and the others gasped loudly and flashed toward the crystal ball.

"Did we see right?" Reynard exclaimed in shock and stared at the ball, seeing the same image. He placed his hands on his head in distress. "What was he thinking?!" He yelled in despair.

I couldn't tear my eyes from the image and saw with distress that his body disappeared all of a sudden.

"Heroes are allowed to keep their bodies after they die..." Magisterial's voice rang absentminded. "But there was nothing heroic about that move." He stated sternly and teleported away.

"I am going to knock some sense into that little man." Reynard exclaimed and also flashed away.

Furious and confused, I followed and appeared in Otherworld, landing at the brink of Snakeway.

"Guys, Gohan must have a plan." Reynard defended my brother. "He is an extremely good, strategic warrior; he won't do something rash without reason."

I scoffed. "I would like to hear it." I exclaimed exasperated and crossed my arms over my chest. I was upset that he threw his life away so quickly after he got it back.

"As would I..." Luna commented and also crossed her arms over her chest.

I stared impatiently at my watch, basically just for dramatic effect, I am sure the time on my watch doesn't corresponds with the current time here in Otherworld. "What is taking him so long?" I shot out impatiently.

Reynard shot me a confused gaze, complete with raised eyebrows. "It has only been one minute Gomih..."

"One minute to long!" I shot back irritated.

He sighed and turned around, muttering something incoherently; all I could make out was: "Gohan wasn't kidding about her..." Hmpf! How dare that ungrateful brother of mine discuss me with everyone here in the afterlife! Despicable!

After about two minutes I saw Gohan appear like a mirage in front of King Yemma's desk.

"Hey buddy, get in the back of the line!" One of the demon-like helpers of King Yemma glared angrily at Gohan. "That is the kind of action that would give you a one-way ticket to HFIL!" He threatened.

Gohan waved his arms in front of his chest defensively. "No problem dude," He pointed both his fingers to the back. "I'm going."

He sprinted toward the back and his eyes lit up as he saw us. "Guys!" He chirped out happily. We all returned with scowls.

"Bro, what were you..." Reynard started, but Gohan dove under his arms and jumped over Luna an Magnar in two swift ninja-like motions.

"Sis, I need your help!" I was startled when a set of hands suddenly grabbed my shoulders and spun me around; I stared down and found that it was my little brother.

I slapped him through his face. "What were you thinking?!" I yelled loudly, every spirit who was in the queue turned around and stared at the scene. "You just became alive again, and now you screw it up by killing yourself?!" I placed my hands on my hips, waiting for an explanation.

He pulled me to the side on my arm. "We don't have much time; I will explain everything later, you just have to trust me." His brown eyes bore into mine. I nodded slowly, recognising from his tone that he was serious.

"Gohan." Magisterial's voice was stern.

"Yes sir?" Gohan replied politely.

"I would like an explanation for your rash actions." He said in a serious tone; an angry frown embedded on his brow.

Before Gohan could answer, Gailo and Veronica appeared out of nowhere in the middle of our circle. "What happened?" Veronica's panicked voice echoed through the air. "We felt Gohan's life force disperse..."

Gohan waved awkwardly at his other two allies before talking again. "Guys, there is not much time; I am sure Buu is pulling the Kai's planet apart." His voice was full of ernst.

"Buu killed you?" Shock was imprinted in Gailo's voice.

"Of course not." Gohan replied with a tad bit of offence in his voice. "But that is not the point; I have a plan, don't doubt in that." He sighed. "Just promise me that no matter what happens that you will play along, no matter how ridicules my plan may seem in the beginning?" He stared at every one of us.

"I promise I will explain everything afterwards." He compromised when no one acknowledged his previous statement.

"So there will be an afterward?" Reynard eyed my brother. "You are not planning on killing yourself while you are dead?" His voice sounded unsure.

Gohan smiled sincerely. "Of course not." He reassured. "But I really have to go now." He turned to me. "Gomih, are you in?" He asked me with pleading big brown eyes.

"Fine, what do you need me to do?" I mimicked a serious tone; still unsure what his brilliant plan holds, especially for me...

He smiled broadly at my acceptance. "Great!" He exclaimed and tightened his grasp on my arms.

"See you." He greeted with a brilliant smile and salute. I noticed that he and Magisterial shared a nod before Gohan started teleporting.

"Be safe!" Luna's voice was the last thing I heard before we teleported away.

As I opened my eyes I noticed that we were back on the Kai's planet, but it was not as luscious and vibrant as it once was.

The once green pastures were ripped from the ground and replaced with a barren and desolated dull, brown and dead wasteland. All the grand statues of fallen Kai's and other noble warriors that occupied the space next to the pathways were reduced to rubble and barely recognisable.

Craters and holes were embedded on the surface, making the planet look like a piece of cheap Swiss cheese.

The peaceful chirping of birds and the tranquil sound of the rustling of leaves in the light wind completely vanished, and the sound of smoke and decay took their places.

I turned my gaze toward my brother, and saw him stare with squinted eyes into the northern direction. I followed his gaze and found Buu, miniature due to the fact that he was many miles away, blasting everything in his sight into a unrecognisable rubble.

"Gohan, why did you teleport us back here?" I rubbed my hands on my arms furiously as a chilly wind blew through me.

He looked over his shoulder and smiled his famous 'Gohan-smile'. "We are going to save Dad, Piccolo and Vegeta." He claimed with a brilliant smile.

I frowned. "Is that even possible?" I couldn't help but be negative, this whole day put me in a negative 'nothing will go right' mood; me being killed, earth being destroyed, Gohan turning evil, me being given the mission to kill said evil brother, Gohan splitting from his evil persona and finally my father and friends being absorbed into Super Buu! It sounded like all these happenings occurred in a friggin year, not two days!

"Anything is possible sis." He smiled again. "You just got to believe…"

I rolled my eyes at his philosophical nature; so annoying.

He turned his attention to Buu and let out a loud whistle. I had to cover my ears from the harsh screech. "HEY BUU!" My brother yelled to get the attention of the pink monster.

My mouth fell open in horror and I grabbed Gohan by his shoulder, shaking him around a bit. "Are you fudging crazy?" I yelled in a high pitched voice; remembering my anger management class about turning curse words into sweets. "You surely have a better strategy than that?" I sighed sharply. "Haven't you ever heard about the element of surprise?"

He chuckled. "You don't need the element of surprise when you have the element of awesome on your side." He pointed his two thumbs at himself while a cocky smile played on his lips.

"You really cannot be this arrogant!" I exclaimed, but he ignored me; eyeing Buu intently as he neared us like an angered bull that saw red.

"Transform." My brother ordered in a stern voice, his head turned slightly in my direction.

"What?" I countered, momentarily surprised by his sudden request.

"I know you have reached the second Super Saiyan transformation; it is time to use it." He claimed and powered up into his second level as well. He looked at me with big annoyed eyes. "Well?!" He retorted out in ernst. "This is not a game, sis. Everything has to flow flawlessly from here for my plan to succeed."

I clenched my teeth and fists, restraining myself from snapping at him. I shook my head, causing my hair to escape out of its ponytail; I hated the feeling my hair made when it spiked up in a ponytail, and started powering up. It took longer for me to reach my second state than my perfect brother reached it, but as soon I was transformed he looked at me with pride.

"Good…" He breathed.

"This might be a little late to ask, but what is your plan?" I asked hesitantly; completely baffled about what he was planning.

He smiled mysteriously. "Head's up, Buu is going to absorb us." My mouth fell open at his casual tone.

"No, no, no, no, no…" I said quickly. "You have completely lost it! You have had too many punches to the head!" I exclaimed in a panic-stricken voice.

He looked right in my eyes. "Chill! Remember, just trust me." He said soothingly.

Before I could reply to his calm tone, Buu stood before us, making me flinch. "Sorry for taking so long, but I had to use the little boy's room." As he talked he zipped up his fly. I frowned.

Ew.

"You are back I see; big mistake on your part." He taunted; I frowned as I sensed my fallen friends' and Dad's presence in him. He extended his neck, looking past Gohan.

"Oh, and I see you brought a friend." He licked his lips as he saw me.

Again, ew...

Despite the frightened feeling that rushed through every nook and cranny of my body, I managed a cold menacing stare of: "_Touch me and die_" at the muscular pink blob.

He smiled, to my utter annoyance, at that.

Gohan snapped his fingers, making Buu avert his attention to my brother. "You crave power, don't you Buu?" He asked with an arrogant smile on his lips. "Especially since Vegeta entered you system too, right?"

Buu smiled. "You are not wrong, boy; there is no such thing as too much power." He confirmed.

Gohan snickered; it sounded fake. "Buu,_ that_ is music to my ears." I frowned as I detected a hint of evil clinging to my brother's voice.

"Gohan, what are you…" I started, but my brother's abrupt death stare silenced me.

_Please shut up; everything will make sense in a short while. _His voice rang in my mind.

_Who do you think you are for telling me to shut up? I don't have shutters, therefore it is physically impossible for me to 'shut it'. _I retorted back annoyed.

I felt how he rolled his eyes in my mind. _Really? _ He asked in annoyance.

"I have a proposal for you…" His voice trailed off as he talked to Buu.

Buu arched an eyebrow. "What kind of proposal?"

"While I was fighting with you earlier on this planet, I had an epiphany…" He stared at Buu with smouldering eyes from under his thick black lashes. "As strong as I might be, I don't possess _your_ power." His voice turned jealous. "I will never be as strong…"

Buu laughed. "I am glad you realised that boy, took you long enough!" He exclaimed cockily. "But where exactly does your preposition come in?"

Gohan smiled. "I figured, that if I aren't the strongest fighter in the entire universe myself, what is the point?" He asked rhetorically. "I would rather not exist, than play second fiddle to anyone, power related of course."

Buu smiled. "I could arrange that for you." He suggested in a mocking tone.

Gohan laughed without a trace of humour in his pre-adolescent voice. "Not so fast tiger; I was hoping that _I_ could be a part of your greatness."

Buu frowned confused. "What are you saying?"

"I am saying that I want you to absorb me, along with my sister here," He pointed at me, making me flinch. "We are twins you see, and I speculated that since we once shared the same uterus when my mother was pregnant with us, that if we reunite in one being again, that our power would triple if not quadruple!" He explained flawlessly.

My eyes widened in terror. _Chill, just play along. You have always been good at acting; now prove to those Hollywood washouts that you got it! _I couldn't help but smile at my brother's comical encouragement. 

Gohan turned his head towards me expectantly, Buu too, probably awaiting an acknowledgement. I smiled smugly, Oh I will give them better than that.

"Yes; if you thought Vegeta was a power junkie, you haven't met me." I joked and put my arm around my brother's shoulder. "Like my brother vividly explained earlier, we are twins; therefore we share the same dreams and ideals as well as biological and physical similarities." I answered.

Gohan smiled at me approvingly. _Man you can sell a pot of crap like a pro! Good job sis. _He complimented me in my mind. __

"Yes, so what do you say Buu?" Gohan paused for dramatic effect. "You want to be unbeatable?"

Buu shrugged casually. "Why not?" He asked and laughed in his sleeve. "I thought you had an ulterior motive boy, but even if you do, as soon as you are absorbed into my body, you are part of me, and no matter your strength, you won't be able to escape, _ever_." The cold words clung heavily in the air.

Gohan smiled, shoving off his perfect alignment of straight teeth; his eyes keeping Buu's gaze. "Perfect."

_Whatever you do, don't let go of me._ He instructed in my mind. Before I could protest, that I wasn't even holding him, he curled his hand tightly around mine. I gave it a little squeeze, acknowledging that I won't let go.

_Whatever your plan is Gohan, if it fails, I will personally kick your butt, mount it and hang it in our living room._ I threatened.

His chuckle bounced around in my skull. _Noted_.

Buu pointed his long forefinger at me. "You, first." He said.

"We are a package deal." Gohan stated. "And besides, then you will only have to mould one of those gooey absorbing mechanisms of yours."

Buu laughed. "You have a point; spares me one trip."

I was surprised to hear Gohan's barely audible relived sigh next to me.

The pink mould jumped towards us, while I was deep in thought, making me shriek. Just before it hit us, Gohan wrapped his arms around me tightly; his concentrated expression giving away that he made a few calculations to time it perfectly.

Darkness ascended and I remember that I was falling…

I plopped down on my butt with Gohan spread on top of me in something squishy. I clutched my head with my left hand, trying to shake off the dizzy feeling that circled around in my skull. I opened my mouth to speak, but Gohan quickly placed his finger on my lips, shushing my unuttered words.

I shot him a confused glare and he returned by putting a finger to his ear.

"What a beautiful place to destroy." Buu's cheerful voice drummed through his body, making the goo we were currently standing on vibrate. "Except I am wondering why I haven't changed." He mused out loud. "Oh well, that guys are stronger than I have thought; they will probably just take a while to digest."

His laugh made us bounce up and down, like we were on a bouncy castle. "But when they do, my power will be unsurpassable. There will be no one left who has the audacity to stop me. Soon I will be the soul proprietor of the entire universe." Another laugh made us bounce around again.

Gohan hurriedly jumped up and did a little happy dance. "It worked!" He exclaimed gleefully at the top of his lungs.

"Shouldn't we be quiet though?" I asked, in a hushed tone. "Won't he hear us?"

Gohan chuckled. "Don't be silly." He taunted. "His ears are located on the outside of his body, we are in the inside! There is no way he will hear us."

"Oh, and what did you mean by: "_It worked",_ was there a chance that it wasn't going to work?" I questioned with alarm in my voice.

He shrugged. "Give or take, 50/50." He said softly, but my ears caught the words.

I jumped up and grabbed his collar. "You little bastard! We could have been killed."

He pried my fingers from his gi. "Don't dwell on what could have happened sis; rejoice in what did in fact happen!" He exclaimed and looked around him.

I shook my head menacingly. "Be glad you are already dead little brother… " I sneered in venom in my voice.

I looked around me, scrutinizing my surroundings. Buu's insides matched his outsides: pink and revolting. As I looked around I noticed that we must be in the chest area as I noticed a set of ribs place firmly in the flesh above us.

I frowned in puzzlement as a sudden thought flashed through my mind. "Shouldn't he have digested us?" I asked my brother who started trotting in a northern direction.

He laughed a whimsical laugh. "Of course he should have, but I prevented it."

"How?" I asked, annoyed at his vague statements.

He ran his open palms over his chest. "I created a protective barrier around us when Buu absorbed us; I theorized that a shield would prevent the digestive process from taking effect on our bodies and make us travel safely inside Buu." He smiled proudly. "Seems that I was correct..."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Whatever Einstein." I retorted curtly.

The scenery did not change the further we walked in his body. After a few minutes I lost my footing and fell after a sudden quake erupted on the surface I walked on.

"Are you all right?" Gohan asked as he extended one of his muscular peach-coloured arms down to me. I took it immediately and he pulled me up.

"Yeah," I reassured his worried expression and rubbed my butt area vigorously. "But I can't say the same for my butt."

He laughed at me. "Your poor behind." He joked. "Walk carefully; we are near the heart; that was what caused that quake." He explained.

I scowled at him. "It would have been much more helpful if I knew that little piece of info earlier." I retorted angrily.

"Sorry sis," He apologized, "I shall be your trusted guide from now on." He laughed at his statement; his laugh originated from his stomach and was very contagious, I couldn't help but join in.

We walked on a small bridge-like piece of flesh, which I presume was a muscle, over the wildly throbbing heart.

"Why don't we just stab him in the heart?" I suggested. "I see you still have the Z-sword by your side; so it would be easy to kill him."

"Not a chance." He stated coolly.

"Isn't this why we are in here in the first place?" I asked confused.

"Of course not." He answered curtly as he examined his surroundings.

"Then may you tell me what we are doing here then?" I asked agitatedly.

He smiled at me over his shoulder. "I suppose I owe you an explanation of some sort." He said while rubbing the back of his head absentmindedly.

"I suppose you do." I mocked him in a terrible impersonation of his voice.

He spun around to look at me; he was now walking backwards. "You see, I could have killed Buu when we were fighting on the Kai's planet, I had an opportunity or two to demolish him, but I chose not to, actually more like I couldn't get it over my heart to do it." He smiled sadly. "Dad, Vegeta and Piccolo were a part of him now after all and if I killed Buu, I would have killed all of them."

I nodded, understanding his point.

"Then I had a thought; everyone who was ever absorbed by this vile creation didn't see it coming, they were completely oblivious to what was happening to them, until it was too late..." He paused momentarily, as if in thought. "So why not control it, rather than be surprised by it?" He asked rhetorically. "I realize it was a long shot, but I was desperate to save Dad and the others..."

"How can you be so sure that they are still alive inside of Buu? You, yourself, said that they were digested." I asked.

He smiled. "Can't you feel their life-forces?" He asked with hope in his voice. "It is very faint, but nevertheless, it _is_ there…"

I kept myself from not shedding a tear at his loyalty for family and friends, I doubt if any other warrior in this world go through this extreme lengths to save their comrades and loved ones. Even we, Trunks and I, whose loved ones and comrade were captured, did nothing; we gave up; none of us tried to find a way to save our friends here in Buu, and yet, my brother who was occupied in a fierce battle, managed to implement a plan, and that made me sick…

"What are we still standing here for?" I asked in an annoyed tone, masking my guilt. "Let's go little bro." I tousled his hair as I passed him.

"But why exactly did you need me to come with you?" I bombarded him with another question. "You could have handled this better if you were on your own rather than having to look after me the whole time."

He turned around, a happy smile on his features. "If you tell this to anyone, I will deny it…" His voice trailed off. "I was scared to come in here alone." He admitted after a while.

My mouth fell agape slightly. "The strongest warrior in the world, scared?" I asked baffled.

"I am still in a kid's body and mind after all." He defended himself. "And your presence makes me feel safe."

I forced back the tears that started to well up in my sockets. He still thought of me as his protector, as his big sister… Even after all I had accused him of and the horrible way I had treated him…

We walked through the whole moist dispersed tunnel in silence, Gohan leading the way, until we hit a dead end. He pouted. "I was sure that it was this way; after all, I do feel their forces pulsing behind this wall." He stated and placed one of his hands on the pink mushy wall.

I studied the area for any sign of a breach we could maybe travel through. I smiled as my eyes fell upon small wormlike hole we would easily be able to crawl through.

"Is it, maybe possible that a tunnel could lead from here to Buu's head?" I asked as I poked the squishy hole.

Gohan didn't avert his gaze from the moist pink restriction. "I suppose."

I pointed to the hollow place at the far corner of the wall. "Something like that?" I asked innocently.

He leaned over me to see better and smiled broadly. "Exactly like that!" He exclaimed and gave me a high five. "Good detective work sis!" He complimented me.

I threw my hair over my shoulder arrogantly. "They don't call me Nancy Drew for nothing." I boasted.

He frowned at me with a slight smile on his lips. "Who calls you that?" He chuckled as he got to his hands and knees, ready to crawl into the dense space. "The only reason why you would maybe find something that was missing, is if you took it and put it there yourself in the first place!"

I snickered at his tone and also got on my hands and knees, ready to follow him. "That may be the case, but my friends at school gave me that nick name." I answered vaguely.

I saw him flinch; a guilty feeling spread through my body, poor thing probably doesn't need to be reminded that he missed out greatly in life.

"How so? I smell a story." He fished with fake sincerity and started to crawl slowly through the moist tunnel.

I smiled at his attempt to act interested, even though I saw through him. "Well, they named me that because every time they searched for someone, I accurately 'guessed' " I made inverted commas with my fingers, "their exact whereabouts."

He chuckled at my explanation. "Oh, it probably has nothing to do with the fact that you can trace any living force due to their ki." He winked at me and I smiled.

"Yeah," I admitted, "but I can't tell them that, they will freak."

He frowned at me with puzzlement in his expression. "You didn't tell them?"

"About what?" I asked.

"About what you can do; your powers."

I laughed. "You really think I should have told them about me being a half human, half alien?" Another chuckle escaped my mouth. "You know it is hard enough to fit into high school when you are a perfectly normal human being…"

He laughed. "I suppose; but doesn't it make you crazy inside that your friends don't know who the real you are?"

I shrugged. "I am myself around them." I hesitated. "My human self though…" I was surprised to hear a sad vibe clinging to my voice.

I felt his hand, smaller and softer than my own, curl around _my_ hand. He gave my hand a light squeeze before letting go, a reassuring smile on his lips. The loving gesture from my brother made me feel warm inside and chased all the sorrow away. That was what I probably missed most about him being alive; his positive presence.

"So what are your plans for the future?" I asked pointing to his halo; this tunnel seems never endingly long, so we might as well chat for a bit. "You threw your life so easily away again, so I presume you won't go back to earth." My accusing tone of voice made him flinch, which made me regret saying it.

He sighed. "I did it for strategic reasons." He defended himself. "Being alive is a strain in battle if you are used to the feeling of death." I frowned at him, not understanding.

"Death softens brutal attacks and masks pain a great deal in battle, while being alive heightens everything; pain, emotion..." He noticeable cringed at the memory but smiled afterwards. "And besides, thanks to my Saiyan genes I receive a huge power boost after death, making me a great deal stronger than Buu now."

"You didn't answer my original question." I observed.

He shrugged. "Who knows what the future holds sis…?" His voice trailed off. "The future now, to me, is a dark never ending abyss or void, spiralling around violently with me in the sides, out of control and scared." He smiled at me again. "Let's just take it one day at a time."

"Why do I get the feeling that you won't spin back to earth?" I used his newly created metaphor as reference in my blunt question.

He didn't meet my gaze. "I don't know."

"Don't lie to me, I can tell when you are lying…" I stated.

"Fine, okay?!" He yelled. "I don't want to go back." He stared grimly at me from over his shoulder. "Happy?"

His sudden hostile outburst silenced me for a few seconds. "Why not?" I asked after a few seconds of hesitation.

He stopped moving, making me halt too, and turned around, looking me straight in the eyes. "Gomih, what do I have on earth?" He asked rhetorically. "I have nothing anymore…" His voice trailed off sadly.

I grabbed him by his shoulders. "That's not true!" I exclaimed as I shook him a bit. "You have me, Dad, Mom, all our friends!" My eyes softened a bit. "Need I go on?"

He smiled; it was not a happy smile. "You _all_ have your _own_ lives now; I can't just jump in after six years and expect to live my life as it used to be. Like you said earlier, it is not fair of me to expect that so soon." He argued. "Krillen is married and has his own kid now, you have Trunks, and will probably leave the house next year, Vegeta and Bulma have two children now, their hands are full; need _I_ go on?"

"But what about Mom and Dad?" I asked.

He scoffed, turned around and started crawling forward again. "Yeah, that will lead in a never ending debate about me needing to study 24/7 so I can become a great scholar like Mom has always dreamed for me." He sighed sadly. "I will just be a burden…"

"But…" I interjected.

"They need me sis…" He interrupted me. "Magisterial and the others are counting; no I am counting on myself for saving innocent people who don't deserve to die… For some people in this forsaken universe, I represent hope, and I cannot just walk away from that." He declared.

"I shouldn't have said anything." I breathed as a sad, uncomfortable feeling settled in the pit of my stomach; he must feel the same.

He smiled at me warmly. "Now you now…" He whispered. "And besides, I think your bluntness is a very admirable trait."

"Whatever bro." I managed a smile as well.

"And yours?" He asked after a short while of trudging through this creepy tunnel. How long was this thing any way?!

"Huh?" I asked confused, not sure what the question was that he was asking.

He chuckled. "_Your_ plans for the future."

I pouted. "The abyss spinning thing." I declared, mentioning his metaphor again.

He chuckled. "No fair, you must have something planned." He fished.

I sighed. "You will think it is stupid…" I admitted.

He laughed. "I don't have to hear something to think that of you." He teased and I shot him a playful death glare.

"If you promise not to laugh." I compromised and he nodded.

"Cross my heart." He declared after making an X over his chest.

"Well…" I hesitated. "I want to become a therapist, specialising in counselling for troubled kids, and maybe do some painting and artist-related stuff part time." It sounded so stupid when it left my mouth.

"Why would I laugh at that?" He asked puzzled. "Those are both noble professions."

I nodded. "I know, but isn't that a bit out of character of me?" I asked insecurely. "I am this tough tomboyish girl who fights and beats people up to get rid of her own frustration and here I am encouraging people to talk their emotions out without violence."

He smiled over his shoulder at me. "That is exactly what makes it perfect for you." He answered what I didn't expect.

"Why?" I asked puzzled.

"You are one of the most creative individuals I know, and I know a lot of people, so the artist thing is a bull's eye for you and you are great with kids. You are strong enough to admit that some of your aggressive methods weren't emotionally right for you psyche, and want people not to go down the same path as you; you can even use the hardships you went through as a kid to inspire others."

"I will miss you…" I breathed softly after he was done speaking. "I forgot how I loved you being around." I admitted. "You understand me; I can just guess that Mom will freak out when she finds out that I don't want to become whatever she wants me to be." Bitterness was apparent in my voice.

The corners of his mouth twitched into a smile. "Me too; and don't worry about Mom, it is you life, sooner or later she will have to face the music and accept that she cannot control it."

Before I could reply something squiggly started to crawl up my leg. I let out a horrified shriek as I spun around and saw a giant white, bloodthirsty leech-like worm starting to gnaw at my clothes. Without thinking I started punching the vulgar creature until there was nothing left of it.

As soon as I was done with the first worm I saw about five more wiggle their way through the tunnel over to me, their teeth were barred, exposing thick green gooey spit that clung in their mouths like veins.

"Scoot over." Gohan asked nicely, probably wanting to join the fight with our unusual opponents.

"I got this." Was all I said before I started pounding the living crap out of those disgusting creatures. The fight didn't last long at all; it was over in a matter of minutes, leaving me victorious and unscathed.

I turned around and flinched as Gohan's fierce eyes met mine. My face was flushed from the sudden exert the fight caused.

"Did you see that?" I asked with an excited smile on my lips. "I was on fire; even in this limited space I was dominating!" I exclaimed proudly. "I haven't had such a good workout in such a long time." I breathed out happily.

"You know, you broke a promise you made to me." He stated out of the blue after we started to crawl slowly forward again; a light was visible and streamed in a small reap into the tunnel.

I frowned, confused. "What promise?"

"Don't you remember the promise you made me a few days before the Cell Games?"

*flashback*

"_I wish I could be part of your world." I pursed my lips around a straw and sipped up the orange juice Mother poured me in from the picnic. Mom and Dad left a few minutes ago, claiming to take a peaceful walk through the valley; they left Gohan and me alone at our usual picnic spot._

He slight frown tickled my brother's brow; his eyes still closed. "What do you mean?" He asked as he lay peacefully on his back, his arms outstretched over his head as he lay on the bright blanket. "You are part of my world. 

"_No I am not." I snapped. "I want to be a part of all the fights and stuff too," I declared; always feeling left out when he and Dad went on exciting adventures and exotic planets to defeat evil villains._

His eyes snapped open as he looked at me with horror in his eyes.

"I am a Saiyan too for Pete's sake! I have potential." I went on a rant as I saw his reserved expression. 

_As he got up his now, blond hair swayed gently in the current of the slight breeze. His new hair suited him, I thought pleasingly; it gave him a more boyish edge, rather than that other over lengthy mop he usually wore in a ponytail, making him look more like a girl than a boy._

"Gomih, listen to me, you do not want to be a part of this. Promise me that you will never be a part of this." He came closer to my face, his eyes were desperate. 

"_I will promise no such thing." I snapped and gulped down the last drops of my juice. "I am my own person, who makes my own decisions and I decide that I want to be a warrior like you and Dad." I declared with my nose held high in the sky. _

"_Please, you don't know what you are talking about." He said in a pleading voice. "Gomih, it eats you up inside, all the blood you spilt…" His eyes got a faraway look in them. He shivered. "It is not a place for a kid, not a place for anybody!" _

"_You are a kid and you are a warrior…" My voice trailed off. _

_He smiled bitterly and looked me in my eyes with the most mature expression I have ever seen on a person, more mature than any adult I have witnessed._

"I wish I wasn't…" He started. "Every gory moment is engraved into your memory and no matter how hard you try, you cannot erase it… It's there, always present… And after a while you get used to it; the gore, the blood, the killing…" He hesitated. "Death…"

His eyes met mine again. "My only comfort when I am fighting and a part of this evil world is that I know you are safely at home." He took my hands in his pleadingly. "So promise me this sis, don't even think about becoming a warrior. Don't even think about following in Dad or even my footsteps." 

_I snorted. "You have some nerve talking to me like that. I am the eldest child so you have to listen to me, not the other way around." I argued stubbornly. _

_A victorious smile formed on his lips. "By that logic, you should listen to me." He pointed both his thumbs to himself. _

_I frowned. "And why so?" I asked and crossed my arms over my chest defiantly. _

"_I was in the hyperbolic time chamber, remember?" He asked rhetorically. "I am a year older than you now." _

"_Not biologically." I argued curtly. _

"_Physically and chronically yes, so I win." He retorted with a smug chuckle. _

_I rolled my eyes at him. "Whatever, but fine, I won't become a warrior." I declared begrudgingly and he smiled gratefully at me. _

"_Promise?" He asked unsure. _

_I rolled my eyes. "Promise." I repeated. "I anyway don't want to ruin all my pretty t-shirts and jeans." _

_He smiled broadly at me. "That's my girl." He mimicked Dad's voice almost perfectly, making me snicker. _

"_But I would like to be able to defend myself if another villain comes to earth." I _solicited.

_He chewed absentmindedly on a strand of dried grass. "Reasonable." He said and looked over to the horizon while lying on his side. "I will teach you a little over the basics when Cell is defeated." He declared and I smiled. _

"_You mean it?" I asked excited, looking at him from under my lashes. _

"_Of course." He tousled my hair. "Who could be a better teacher than your big bro.?" He extended his hand for a 'deal' shake. _

_I scowled at him and pulled the elastic hair band out of my hair; my ponytail was ruined now from his mini noogie. I took his hand in my own and gave it a firm shake, but I was suddenly airborne and fell into the nearby river. My head popped up to the surface and I gasped for air. _

_Gohan rushed over to the riverbed with a 'oh crap' expression on his heart-shaped face. "I am so sorry; I am not used to my strength yet." _

_I stared him down with venom in my eyes. "You are going to pay for that, big time!" I promised as I got out from the water, refusing to take the hand he held out to me for help._

"Ugh, I can't wait until after the Cell Game; then I am going to kick your sorry excuse for an ass!" I threatened. 

_He smiled. "Why wait?…" _

*flashback ends*

"So did you, mister 'I never do anything wrong.'' I snapped back at him.

He looked down for a few seconds. "I did, didn't I?" The light became brighter and in the next instant we crawled into a clearing. Gohan got out first and helped me to my feet when I finally crawled out of that awful hole.

My mouth fell open in shock as Buu's brain came into sight.

"Majin Buu has a brain?" I exclaimed in disbelief.

Gohan chuckled at my joke. "It would seem so; now just to find…" He stopped, making his unfinished sentence hang in the air.

I turned around, facing his direction, and gasped. Dad, Piccolo, Vegeta, Gotchi and another stranger I have never seen before in my life, hung in purple-ish ball-like things across from Buu's brain. All their eyes were closed, as if they were in a deep slumber.

Hope swelled in my stomach. We can really save them. We can really…

A sudden rumble in Buu's head made both Gohan and me fall on our backs, rolling back and forth with the motion of Buu's head.

"I know you pests are in there!" Buu's voice drummed through my tiny ears; making my head throb.

"Prepare to die!" He yelled loudly; a sudden bright light flashed in his head, stunning me and rendering me blind…

_Awww Gomih and Gohan bonded a bit in this chapter; I really felt like I owed them some together time after all that has happened! *ain't I a softy?* ;) _

_Oeh… I guess I have left you in (sorta) suspense for next week… Hope you are looking forward to the next chapter! This tale of mine is almost *sniff sniff* over, so bear with me in the final chapters!_

Peace out my homedogz! :D 


	27. Chapter 26: The Final Stand

_Hey there *insert your name here*! _

_I know I am quite late with this chapter too, but if you hear my explanation you will completely understand! _

_*Sighs sadly* this is the final chapter of this wondrous tales, but don't worry my dears, I am planning on writing a sequel… :D (YAY me) and it is quite longer than any chapter I have ever published, (aprox. 14000 words! Can you believe it?) _

_That is like exactly double the words my usual chapters are, therefore it is obvious that I needed twice as much time to write it! (Told you, you would understand! :D) _

_Thanks for all the new subscribers and lollman, who, at the exact moment he subscribed to the story, the new chapter got published! (what are the odds?) _

_A bigger thanks to : Rawr, Vienne, Ky111, Vegetaslave87, SCstaff, unwanted half Saiyan demon, Sirius potter 2 and lollman for reviewing! _

_*Hope you enjoy the final chapter! (Oh, and I expect a review from each and every reader who has come to this point in this tale and never reviewed before! :D No pressure…)  
_

**CHAPTER 26: Final Showdown **

"Solar flare!" I shouted loudly, placing my open fingers next to my closed eyes as I released Tien's technique, stunning Buu's corneas from the inside.

I heard an agonised scream come from the outside; must be Buu.

I turned to my sister whose red eyes were widened in shock; I was surprised that she didn't close them after the solar flare attack. I grabbed her by her arm and jolted her in my direction, getting her out of her trance.

"That will buy us some time." I said in a calm voice and pointed to out friends' restrictions. "We have to get them free before Buu recovers."

She was not very responsive; she barely nodded and slowly walked into the direction of the restraints and stared idly at the purplish blob Vegeta was held captive in.

I hurriedly sprinted towards Dad and Piccolo and broke the cords of the restrains clean off in one swift swipe. As they fell to the ground, the ball-like thing did not disperse from their figures, instead it seemed like it got tighter. I got to my knees and scratched the tenacious flesh off their bodies with my fingernails.

"Hey Gomih, are you okay?" I asked my sister as I carved our Dad out of the disgusting flesh; she was still staring at Vegeta with big bug-like eyes, not doing anything.

"That solar flare caught me really off guard; I think you gave me an aneurism." She said dramatically in a joking tone and clutched her head. "I'll be fine in a minute though." As soon as her sentence was finished she shook her head wildly from side to side, looking like she was shaking something off and dove into Vegeta's blob, nails first. She clawed him out of it without separating the cord that held the blob to Buu's head.

Vegeta's ooze-covered body dismantled out as Gomih created a hole big enough for him to get through; he slid like a slick new-born baby seal onto the surface; the thick goo-like shield still around his cold body.

I noticed that Dad, Vegeta and Piccolo were all residing in a foetal position on the ground as all the flesh was removed.

I grimaced as I noticed that the yellow goo and purplish flesh were embedded deeply underneath my fingernails.

"Should we release him?" Gomih asked with her hands on her hips as she panted faintly, nodding towards Gotchi.

"Yes." I replied without hesitation. "I am sure that he would want to get even with Buu and Raphael for abandoning and betraying him, and even if he doesn't choose our side, I can take him out quite easily." I answered flawlessly.

She nodded. "All right, bro, your call." She started clawing feverously at the restraint, until it started to turn askew and drop Gotchi out like a dead fish.

"I am going to get you!" Buu formed the words through his yells. A sudden tremor shot through his head which made both my sister and I lose our footing.

"He is punching himself in the face." Gomih noted out loud in an unsurprised voice as she pointed to the dents that appeared in front of us at a continuous pace.

"Thank you captain obvious." I retorted annoyed at her constant habit of pointing out the most obvious things.

She placed her hands irritated on her hips, "You're welcome lieutenant sarcasm." , and rolled her eyes.

I looked around the area, ignoring my sister's snide comment as I sensed another presence, but I didn't see anything. I walked slowly in the direction I felt the faint glow of energy and found a person, looking like a Kai, in the back of Buu's head.

He resided in a similar ball-like restraint that held my friends before; his was just a navy-blue colour.

Without hesitation I cut the cord to his restraint and he fell on the ground, exposing the symbol on his gi.

"Oh…" I breathed as I put two and two together. He must be that Kai who selflessly sacrificed his life that Magisterial told me about; Supreme something if I remember correctly.

"Who is that?" Gomih asked with a raised eyebrow when she caught glimpse of the Kai I carried on my shoulder. I placed him gently next to my dad, handling him with extra care.

"He is a supreme master who sacrificed himself to save his friends and comrades." I explained. "You remember fat Buu?" I asked and she nodded. "He is the reason for that transformation."

"Wow hard-core, so he is like Magisterial?" She asked and pointed to the symbol, exactly like Magisterial's, on his gi.

"Yeah, they were comrades, way back in the day." My voice trailed off dramatically, emphasizing the fact that all this occurred thousands of years ago; I believe Magisterial had said something about five-thousand years…

"Cool, so how do we get out of here…?" Gomih's voice panicked as she swayed from side to side due to Buu's restlessness.

"Grab on." I ordered and placed my hands above the pile of our friends and my arm around Gomih's waist wanting to teleport us teleported outside.

I frowned as I didn't feel our bodies' teleport through space, instead staying dead in our spots, not moving a millimetre.

"What the…" I started and tried again but still having the same cursed fate.

Gomih looked at me with a worried expression. "What's wrong?"

I pouted as I pondered on other ways to get out of this forsaken place. "It seems like Buu created a barrier-like thing around his body, preventing us from teleporting out." I answered truthfully.

"What now?" She asked in a voice filled with stress.

I grimaced as I thought about plan-B. "I have another plan but you are not going to like it." I admitted.

Her sigh turned depressed. "What?" She breathed out in a whiney voice.

I aimed my hand to the floor of Buu's mind and blasted a small beam into his flesh, tearing a hole almost through his entire body. Buu let out another agonised yell as I hurt him internally and thrashed wildly, but neither I nor Gomih lost our balance, we kind of got accustomed to his constant movement.

I picked Dad up in one hand and threw him down the hole I just created.

"Your turn." I gestured an arm towards the tunnel for the wide-eyed Gomih to jump in, after all the others were thrown down the tube.

She shook her head feverously. "No way." She stated in a sure tone. "You go first."

I rolled my eyes. "How do I know that you will jump in after me when I am gone?" I reasoned, knowing that she would try to find an anterior plan, wasting our time.

"I can say the same for you!" She argued back.

"Gomih this is my plan, I will surely follow through with it." I stated my argument.

"I don't even know what your plan is!" She almost shouted, continuing the argument.

I sighed. We really didn't have time for this. I flashed behind her and pushed her forward, making her fall into the thin hole, screaming like a banshee.

"Sorry you made me do it, I had no choice!" I yelled in my defence into the hole before I jumped in myself.

I fell through the moist tunnel for no more than a few seconds and landed on top of my sister who sat on top of all the people we just rescued, a grunt escaped her pursed lips as I plummeted onto her stomach.

"I hate you!" She exclaimed angrily and threw me off her lap onto the ground. I caught myself with my extended arms, and pushed myself in an upright position.

I looked around me at the ground and the roof of the chamber. I smiled as I recognised the familiar image that I saw in many a picture in my biology books.

"Just one more push then we are out of here, home free…" I said my thoughts out loud, resulting in me getting a confused glare by my irritated sister.

"What push?" She finally asked after her stare didn't make me spill.

"A wind has to break…" I smiled at my clever cryptic statement.

She shifted her eyes to the roof of the chamber and placed her thumb and forefinger on her chin, absentmindedly stroking it as she thought. I stopped myself from bursting into laughter as her eyes lit up, her face twisting into a disgusted expression.

"Ew!" She exclaimed horrified and did a little dance, stomping her feet and waving her hands around her petite body.

I laughed. "Yup, you got it…" I said more to myself than to her.

"We are in his butt?!" She yelled, yanking me to her by my gi.

I looked her straight in her brown eyes. "Not technically, we are in his rectum; we will be in his anus in a moment." I kept all the terms scientifically, making it more comical for me.

"Whatever mister big words," She hesitated for a moment, "dictionary!" She shouted annoyed. "What does that mean, are we going to crawl out through his butt?" She asked in a surprisingly calm voice after she crossed her arms over her chest.

I smiled at her, not giving her an answer to her question and turned around, walking towards the pink flesh that stood out like a sore thumb from the others.

"Hold on…" I chuckled out and put pressure on the pink flesh with my hand.

Buu's whole body started to tremor and some weird noises were coming from above; his stomach. The most prominent sound being a whooshing wind reverberation.

The wind finally reached us and it sent us flying through his butt, we landed safely outside on the Kai's realm, back to our original size. A deathly fart sound escaped Buu's behind as soon as all of us were out.

"That was horrible!" Gomih wept. "I have never smelt such a revolting and vulgar smell in my entire life, nor will I ever." She cupped her hands over her nose to get the stench away, but she jerked them away from her smelling organ quickly when she noticed her hand stunk too.

I wiggled my nose absentmindedly; the smell wasn't that bad actually; at the most, it was tolerable.

"You don't know the first thing about stinks my dear twin; try going into King Yemma's bathroom sometime after he consumed a few helpings of Mexican food…" I cringed internally at the memory.

Damn, that scarred me for life… A few disturbing images of King Yemma taking his pants down as he resumed in a sitting position over his favourite chair…

I shook my head from side to side, trying to shake those ghastly images out of my memory. I really should go see a therapist…

"At least we are out of that filth." Gomih commented through the heaves.

"No matter the method." I agreed.

I used my right arm as support to push myself up. My eyes widened as I stared at the shifting form of Buu. His body was out of control; his flesh was like jelly, loose and flexible, as jumped up and down from his body like it was possessed. His mouth was open wide in agony as he screamed in pain.

I put both my hands under Gomih's arms as I lifted her up to her feet. "You have to get out of here." I said in a calm voice.

She frowned at me and looked swiftly at Buu before shifting her gaze to me again. "I am not leaving you alone with _that_." She stated stubbornly and crossed her arms over her chest defiantly.

"I will be fine." I reassured her. "He is much weaker now; I will take him down in a matter of minutes. And besides, these guys need medical attention." I nodded my head towards the pile of bodies on the ground.

She sighed loudly. "Fine." She gave in. "But I am warning you mister; if you intentionally attempt to hurt yourself again, like you did previously in your 'rip my heart out' stunt," She did a weird squeaky impersonation of my voice, "I will personally come and kick your anus so hard that it will crawl into your rectum!"

I chuckled at her comical threat. "Do you need help to get them out of here?"

She shook her head. "No need; I know instantaneous movement, as long as they all touch some part of me, I can teleport us all at the same time."

I frowned. "He didn't teach you the no-hands teleportation?"

She shook her head. "There wasn't enough time."

"Oh; okay then, you go ahead, I will send them to Magisterial's soon after." I suggested, already placing my extended arms above their bodies.

She swatted at my arm until I lowered them. "No way, I can do this on my own." She said prideful.

She placed all of them next to each other in a bundle and lay on top of them in a star position, making sure that each and every one of them touched some part of her body.

I chuckled. "Really?"

"See ya." She nodded towards me and flashed away. I laughed as I saw that she left the Kai behind. I laughed as I materialized a pen and paper, writing _'missed one' _followedby a smiley face, in a large and bold font on the note. I folded the small piece of paper neatly in two and placed it securely in the Kai's pocket, letting the one half hang out; making sure that she would see it.

I extended my arms towards his body and sent him to Magisterial's realm.

As I turned around with a frown on my face, Buu's ki felt off, he was at the same, short level as me. I was looking straight into his red and black eyes, making me flinch.

He was a… a… kid?

He was childlike in his appearance; a rounder face, bigger eyes and becoming much shorter than Super Buu, although he still had a strong body build. His antenna also became quite short. Just like the other Buu's, he wore baggy white gi-pants, with his belt showing the Majin symbol.

"Me Buu, you dead!" He yelled in a squeaky voice; getting in a flawless fighting stance.

(Gomih's POV)

I landed in the realm with all my friends on top of me. "I just saved your butts, and this is how you repay me?" I retorted in an accusatory voice.

I softly dug a path through their intertwined bodies with my hand, until it reached the opening. I pushed to the side, making one of the bodies roll off to the ground and creating an opening for light to stream into.

"My goodness." I heard Magisterial exclaim and a shadow suddenly blocked the bright sun from my eyes; I still wasn't that used to the light after my recent journey through the dark and dingy body of Buu.

He extended his long arm towards me and I grabbed it without hesitation. He gently lifted me from the ground, careful not to hurt the others lying on the grass.

"What happened here?" A familiar voice gasped out as it advented towards us.

I leaned to the left, staring past Magisterial at the source of the voice. My eyes met with Shin and Kibito's eyes as they approached us.

"Gohan and his sister went inside the body of Buu to save their friends." Magisterial explained on behalf of me to the disoriented Supreme Kai and his bodyguard.

"Is that even possible?" A frown formed on Kibito's face as he stared intimidating down at me.

"Apparently so." I chuckled. "And believe me; you don't want to go in there." I waved my hand playfully over my nose, remembering the foul stench that Buu's insides produced.

Shin grimaced. "And you succeeded." His tone was lined with bafflement.

"What does it look like?" I asked annoyed as I pointed to the heap of bodies on the ground next to me. "Which reminds me…" I looked around, searching for the other members of the magisterial guard. "Where is that little healer?" I directed to Magisterial.

He got a grim expression on his face. "They are still in otherworld, apparently Cell and the other goons who died before had been resurrected and are fighting full steam again; Gailo came back about half an hour ago and asked the others to join them too." He explained.

A pit of worry rested in my stomach. "And Trunks, did he go too?"

"No, I asked him to do some chores for me." He smiled deviously. "He claimed he was bored…"

I concentrated and felt his ki wandering around the area I remembered the kitchen being.

"But don't worry; I will get some healing potions for them." Magisterial stated and teleported away.

"Thanks!" I yelled at the air after he was gone.

I sat on my haunches next to Dad and ran my fingers through his impossible head of hair, happy that there was no halo floating above his head.

I flinched as a sudden light appeared next to me; another person materializing gave me a fright.

I recognised the muscular person as the Kai Gohan mentioned earlier. His skin was turquoise and he had a mow-hawk hairstyle, exactly the style that resided on Shin's head, his hair was just brilliant ginger instead of silver. His robe was in the same style and navy, yellow and purple colours as Shin and Kibito's robes and he also wore those peculiar, awful, earring all the Kai's, except Magisterial, seemed to be wearing.

I noticed a piece of paper lodged in his pocket as I scrutinized his appearance. Curiosity getting the better of me, my hand hurried to the Kai's pocket, ripping the paper from his chest and examining it.

_Missed one : )_ … Stood scribbled neatly in the middle of the paper.

"Ugh." I exclaimed annoyed and crumpled the note angrily in my right palm and threw it in a random direction into the horizon. "Stupid Gohan…" I whispered under my breath.

I was shocked to see Shin walk slowly past me, his hand held against his chest. "Grand Supreme Kai?" He whispered almost incoherently.

"Oh so he is a Kai! Gohan and I speculated this." I aired my thoughts.

"Where did he come from?" Shin's gaze shifted abruptly towards me, his eyes boring into mine, making me flinch.

"Uh, like I said, Gohan and I went inside Buu's body to extract all the people he absorbed." I explained for the second time.

"And he was in there as well?" Kibito chipped in.

I rolled my eyes. "Gee I don't know." I replied sarcastically. "Doesn't anyone listen to me here?" I asked at no one particular. "I have been through this countless times!"

"I didn't know he would still be alive…" Kibito's voice trailed off in awe; he ignoring my previous question.

Ugh, I take that as a no… I should really stop talking altogether!

"It is astonishing." Shin joined in and sat next to his former comrade on the soft emerald green grass, placing his hand on his muscular arm.

Magisterial popped up, balancing a few vials with a purple liquid in it in both his hands, but made them fall out of his grasp as his eyes lay upon the Grand Supreme Kai; but thanks to his super human reflexes, he caught all of them in one hand before they could hit the ground.

"Is that..?" He started absentmindedly and half-heartedly handed the vials to me. I cradled them in both my hands against my chest as I headed towards my friends, still keeping an ear out on the Kai's conversation.

"Indeed." Shin confirmed Magisterial's unfinished question. "If we can believe Gomih's statement, she and Gohan rescued him from Buu's body."

"Gomih can hear you." I shot in an irritated voice to Shin who ignored me, as I poured the purple liquid into Dad's half-open lips. He started coughing and his eyes jolted open as he sat upright. I turned to Piccolo and then Vegeta; they had the same reactions before standing up. I decided not to heal Gotchi, unlike my brother, I didn't trust him. He was called _evil Gohan_ for a reason…

"Wow, how did we…" Piccolo started but I signalled my finger in front of my lips, pointing to the Kai's.

"But doesn't that mean that Buu will revert to his natural form?" Magisterial's voice was filled with alarm.

Shin's eyes widened in horror. "Kid Buu…." His voice trailed off.

"Who is Kid Buu?" I asked. "Did Buu have a kid or something?"

The three of them turned around to face us. "Who do you think you are for eavesdropping on some Kais private conversation?" Kibito asked sternly. "This is not meant for a mortal's ears." He grabbed the remaining vial out of my hands and hunched next to his unconscious friend, pouring it down his throat.

"First of all, you are not a Kai, you are a bodyguard and secondly, if you wanted to have a private conversation, you should have maybe, I don't know, walked a distance longer than a few inches before started discussing your secret issues!" I yelled at Kibito, whose face became even redder than his natural red skin tone.

"Why you disrespectful…" Kibito started with a voice vibrating with anger; I cut him off by gesturing my forefinger to his lips.

"Which brings me back to my original question; who the hell is Kid Buu?" I turned toward Magisterial and Shin, not in the mood to listen to more of Kibito's stupid rants.

"Let's not jump to conclusions just yet." Magisterial hushed Shin as they continued talking; I missed the entire conversation thanks to mister _'I think I am a badass'_.

"This is a very dire situation, as far as we know he stayed in his super Buu form." Magisterial continued. "So far we have no proof."

"Where is that crystal ball of yours?" Kibito asked impatiently. "There is just one way we will find out."

Magisterial pointed behind him, the crystal ball still resided on the spot where Trunks and I watched through it earlier. They all moved swiftly toward the crystal and Magisterial extended his arm towards the ball, making it glimmer like it did the first time.

"What are they doing?" Dad asked curiously. "What happened?"

"Drama…" I answered curtly and walked over to the other Kai's; Dad, Piccolo and Vegeta following me.

"Is _that_ proof enough for you?" Shin asked Magisterial as he pointed to the ball.

I squeezed through them to get a better look, and saw Gohan fighting a miniature version of Buu. I frowned at them.

"What's the big deal guys?" I asked annoyed. "This is good news! He is a kid, he must be weaker." I reasoned and they all scoffed together.

"We wish." Shin's voice trailed off.

"I am not sure if you are ignorant of stupid." Kibito shot me a glare.

"Stop being so vague!" I exclaimed loudly with my arms swinging wildly around my body. "Why is this so crucial?" I pointed to the crystal ball.

"Buu has many forms…" A deep voice I have never heard before declared behind me. "And this child-like form is the first and most powerful."

"Welcome back old friend." Magisterial's lips twitched up in half a smile as he greeted his old comrade. "You took longer to heal than we expected."

Grand Supreme Kai smiled softly at the other Kai's. "I can't tell you how great it is to be back." He snapped and cracked his neck and fingers. "But I have it all to thank to Gohan and this pretty little filly here." He winked at me, making my cheeks flush.

"How did you know that it was me and my brother who saved you?" I blurted out, crossing my arms over my chest defensively; my instinct reaction when dealing with a stranger.

His chuckle was musical, similar to Magisterial's. "I was able to see you of course."

All of our confused stares encouraged him to continue.

"You see, although I was restrained physically, I learned how to perceive things through his eyes, hear things through his ears…" His voice trailed off. "I however was never able to make movement, but at least I still got to see and feel what you guys were up to." He explained in his gruff voice.

"I am lost…" Dad whispered to Vegeta.

"Get your moist lips off my ear!" Vegeta almost yelled, rubbing his ear intently.

I turned my head to the side, not losing the view of the Grand Supreme Kai. "I will explain everything later." I directed to the earthlings behind me, desperate to silent them.

"So you said something about this kid being Buu's most powerful form?" I directed to Grand Supreme Kai.

"Yes, the child Buu is the original and purest form of the Majin." He confirmed. "In this state he actually killed Western Supreme Kai and Northern Supreme Kai," His voice turned sorrowful, "and absorbed me and Southern Supreme Kai."

"But we didn't see another Kai in there." I contradicted his statement.

"Buu used a technique to change him into chocolate and consumed him, being able to take his strength too without physically absorbing him into his body." He explained.

I nodded at his explanation, understanding.

"Unlike his other forms, this form of Buu's thought process is seen to be irrational and spontaneous, even prepared to destroy his own body to annihilate planets and entire galaxies." He continued his vivid explanation. "Although he appears smaller than in any of his other forms, he is more dangerous than any other forms of Buu, due to his full relentless evil and unpredictability. He is also completely free of restraint and has no trace of sanity and, because of this, is extremely volatile. He retains his childish personality, becoming amused and laughing hysterically at his own destruction of entire worlds." Grand Supreme Kai cringed. "The purest of all evil…" He breathed with an absent gaze in his eyes.

"Kid Buu's personality is very similar to that of a very young child, in that he retains no form of compassion or remorse for any of his actions. Furthermore, due to his child-like personality and mind-set, he is incapable of developing empathy and comprehending the nature of his actions. Kid Buu is also, like a child, very unpredictable in his behavior and actions, sometimes randomly falling asleep during battle, or acting like an ape by banging his chest with his fists." Magisterial added to Grand Supreme's statement.

He nodded, signaling that he agreed with his comrade. "Buu's only reason for existence was to cause absolute destruction. He enjoyed the destruction he brought to the universe, reveling in the devastation he wreaks."

"And my son is currently fighting that monster?" Dad's worried voice rang clear through the valley.

"He will be fine." Grand Supreme reassured. "What I have seen about that brilliant boy is mind boggling; he is the only hope the entire world has against Buu."

"But isn't Raphael stronger than Buu?" Piccolo observed with a frown.

Grand Supreme Kai stared confusingly at the Namekian. "Raphael?" He asked confused.

"I take the blame for that one, dear friend." Magisterial stated with guilt embedded between his words.

"How so?" He asked with sympathetic eyes.

"He was a previous student of mine whose thirst for power lead to his corruption…" He explained to the point. "As sensei it was my responsibility to stop him, instead I showed nothing but cowardice."

Grand Supreme smiled softly at Magisterial. "It seems like you can correct that mistake with your newest pupil..."

"Speaking of Gohan…" My voice trailed off as I found a seat in front of the crystal ball.

I focussed on the image pink colliding with my brother. They were both entangled as their fists connected with each other continuously at a vigorous pace.

Gohan, out of nowhere, used his fist on Buu's fist to jolt himself back; just enough for him to extend his foot and kick Buu in the stomach without him seeing the attack.

Buu travelled backward into a nearby tree at lightning speed, making the tree split in two and fall on top of him as he came to a standstill.

My brother laughed as she floated towards Buu and stared at his awkward position. "I see you just branched out… Wood you like for me to lend you a hand or just leaf you alone?" He laughed at his own joke.

I was surprised to hear Magisterial and even Piccolo muster a chuckle.

Buu let out an irritated growl. "Buu done with you!" He yelled out agitatedly and jumped up, making a few summersaults in the air before landing.

"Buu kill you now." His child-like voice declared with passion.

I stared at Buu, confusion in my expression as I perceived his weird stance and strange power radiating from his body, as did Gohan.

My eyes widened as I recognised the radiating power as nuclear. My eyes widened and I grabbed the crystal ball between my two palms.

"He's going to blow!" I yelled at the image of my brother, desperately hoping that he would magically hear me.

He teleported away just in the nick of time away from the ticking Buu-bomb... If he did it because he heard me, or because of his own instincts, I will never know, but I didn't care; he was away from that monstrosity. As soon as he was safely away, I felt Buu's power explode, taking the sacred realm of the Kai's with it.

"My planet!" Shin shrieked out in a horrified voice.

I heard a loud splash and turned toward the sound. Gohan was floundering in the water of the fountain oppose us wildly, appearing like he was drowning.

"You really suck at landings, don't you?" I taunted my sibling as he climbed out of the fountain and walked over to us all wet.

He grimaced at me, but it quickly turned into a smile. He retracted his ki outward, making all the water on his clothes and body splatter on me. I was the one who was completely drenched now.

"Oops." He said with fake sincerity. "Buu took the whole planet with him…" Gohan suddenly said out of the blue. "Now Shin just doesn't have to find out…"

Shin cleared his throat making Gohan flinch.

"Oh hi Shin." Gohan said in an innocent voice. "I thought you were still in Otherworld…"

"Clearly not." Shin's angry eyes bore into Gohan's.

"Well then, I have some bad news, and I want you to hear it from me first." Gohan neared the Kai who held his arms with hostility in front of his petite frame. "I kind of just allowed your planet to…." He hesitated, trying to find the right words. "Well, KABOOM!" He clapped his hands together, making a loud bang to emphasize his point.

"Oh I know, we saw the whole thing." Shin pointed to the crystal ball behind him.

Gohan smiled brilliantly. "Great!" He exclaimed happily. "Then I don't have to extend my explanation."

"You think this is a joke?!" Kibito yelled to my brother. "That was our home! The sacred realm of the Kai's, all the knowledge that it retained…" It sounded like he was on the verge of tears.

"Kibitz, I am going to stop you right there…" He extended my open palm towards the red bodyguard. "We can use the Dragonballs to restore the realm to its former glory." He said in a soothing voice.

Kibito scoffed and pouted with his nose held high in the sky. "That doesn't justify your actions."

"Kibito, give the child a break." Shin surprisingly defended him. "If it weren't for him Buu would still be at large, never mind his methods, he got the job done."

"Not quite…" Gohan's voice trailed off with suspense.

Shin's mouth fell open. "What, he is still alive?!" He was panic-stricken.

(Gohan's POV)

I felt Buu's masked ki travel towards us at a fast pace. "Hold that thought…" My voice trailed off and I spun around, feeling the location where he was going to appear. The others confused expressions clearly meant that they couldn't feel him heading towards us.

Magisterial shot me a look and I nodded towards him. I retracted both my arms together and brought my hands together at my right side as I started summoning the power for one of the most devastating energy attacks in the universe.

"Ka….. Me…. Ha…." I started chanting; my voice stopping at the _'ha'_, elongating the syllable as I charged the power to my palms. A bright light blue glimmer started to form and gleam in the open section of my palms.

"Gohan, what are you doing?!" My sister yelled panicky at me, seeing that there was nothing to aim at… Yet.

"Meeeee…." I continued chanting, ignoring my sister's question. The blue light streamed from my hands and danced in beams across the skyline and land. I concentrated my ki and closed my eyes, causing more panic under my friends, as I waited for the exact moment Buu was going to arrive.

I felt his ki on the planet, my suspicion of his location was accurate.

_Now… _Magisterial's voice rang in my mind.

"HAAAAAAA!" I yelled and released the magnitude of power that gathered in my hand, hitting Buu right in the middle. I felt his body disintegrate under my blast and aimed it upward, in a direction I knew no life was located, and let go of the blast, making it travel through space until it energy runs out.

I turned around, facing Shin. "Not anymore." I smiled broadly as I answered Shin's fore mentioned question.

"You defeated him in a matter of seconds… You knew he was coming." He gasped out baffled.

I nodded with a smile on my lips. "Sure did; his ki stands out like a flamingo in a flock of pigeons and he is pretty weak… I was just playing with him earlier."

"You were just toying with him?" An unfamiliar voice asked in a shocked tone of voice.

"Oh, you must be the Grand Supreme Kai!" I recognized the Kai Gomih and I freed in Buu's head. I extended my hand for a shake. "I am Gohan." I introduced myself friendly.

He smiled and shook my hand eagerly. "I know and I am very pleased to meet you for real. Your power is nothing like I have ever witnessed."

I smiled bashfully at his sincere compliment. "Thanks sir!"

He returned the smile. "I noticed a lot of combined styles in your stance and fighting method, recognising one as Magisterial's of course, but I am quite curious to hear what…"

I automatically tuned his voice out of my head, as all my senses rushed to my mind as I sensed a strong ki heading towards us.

My eyes widened as I felt a sudden wave of energy speeding towards us, just about to collide with us. I instinctively used one of my arms to pull Gomih, who was standing oddly at the front of the group, behind me safely and used my other hand to make an invisible shield that stretched over the length and width of all my friends and family in the vicinity.

The invisible energy placed a little bit of pressure on my arm and actually made a pins and needles feeling shoot through my upper right limb as the sudden wave ceased.

"Gohan, what is going on?" Dad asked confused, staring up at the roof of the dome-shaped shield, stray beams slid on my shield's surface as it failed to hit us.

"Ralphy's back." I said curtly, my attention on the tiny Raphael I found high in the sky.

The wave dispersed and I let go of my temporary shield; sinking my arm down to my side. My mouth twitched up in a half smile.

"Look what the cat regurgitated and dragged back in." I mocked as I stared at the familiar frame of Raphael; he teleported nearer and was levitating above the ground about twenty metres away. "I was wondering when you were going to show up again."

His nostrils were flaring wildly. "Where's Majin Buu." He asked through clenched teeth. "I felt a disturbance in his ki."

I shrugged indifferently. "I think you mean disappearance." I corrected him and smiled broadly. "And to answer your question; here, there, there and a little bit there..." I smiled as I pointed into random directions on the planet and sky. "I blew him up." I stated in a monotone.

He turned his head to the side, giving me a clear view of his clenched jaw. The shadow of the mountain fell on the right position of his face, making it look like he was wearing an opera mask.

"My plans…" He breathed. "Ruined…" He whispered almost inaudibly. If we were in a cartoon his face would have become bright red and smoke would have come out of his ears.

Damn, if only… The hilarity!

His head shot up suddenly, making his voluminous light brown bangs bounce up, revealing his cold blue and orange eyes. "You…" He began, pointing a shaky finger to me. "You are going to pay for that." He stated malevolently.

I rolled my eyes. "And here I thought that using clichés were above you…" I tsked.

A high pitched growl escaped his pursed lips as he sprung forward.

"Let's see how clichéd my fist is!" He yelled abruptly and released some of his ki and jumped forward.

I chuckled. "Pretty clichéd." I joked and waited for him to get closer and just before he could hit me, I took a small step to the side, too late realizing that my friends were still standing behind me. Why didn't they scatter? They realize this was going to get serious?!

My eyes widened as the realization hit me like a concrete brick to the crotch. "Crap." I breathed as I felt a breeze as Raphael flashed past me with a lightning speed.

Summoning all my strength, I shot my arm forward, desperate to catch any part of that vile person before he could lay his evil paws on my friends. I rejoiced when my hand curled around something that was not empty air, but the feeling fled as soon as it came; my hopes shredded like the piece of fabric under my grasp.

Just as I expected he went straight for Gomih, taking her from behind, curling his arm around her neck as he lifted her up. Her legs squirmed wildly in the air. He released some of his ki, not much, but enough to emit a wind strong enough to blow everyone away from him.

I stood still, not moving a muscle.

"You are getting predictable Gohan." He said with a broad smile.

My face did not show any emotion. "As are you; don't you think the damsel into stress thing is getting a little old, Raphael?" I crossed my arms over my chest as I stared him down.

"Gomih!" I heard my dad's frantic call as he got up to his feet, sprinting desperately towards his only daughter.

Without unwrapping my arms from my chest, I sent a small wave of energy his way, making him fly back to the others. "I got this one Dad." I told my dad without tearing away from Raphael's glare.

I saw Trunks, who just recently joined the party, get up slowly from the corner of my eyes; he was sitting on his haunches now.

"No offence Gohan, but the last time you said that, she wound up dead!" He said in an accusatory voice as he pointed to his girlfriend and my sister.

I frowned, since Trunks had gotten together with my sister I had lost all the respect I once had for him, I don't know why. I probably should be happy that she found someone, but I wasn't; I knew that he was trying to replace me and that made my blood boil. Everything he did these days offended and irritated me.

"No offence Trunks," I mimicked his exact accusing tone he used on me. "But you weren't exactly there either, so if I were you, I'd stay quiet." I made it sound like a threat; it seemed to work; he didn't let out another peep.

"So are you done chatting with the in-laws, or can we get on with this." Raphael raised an annoyed eyebrow at me.

"Yes," I declared and let my arms fall loosely next to my sides. "But I am not quite done speaking with you yet…" My voice trailed off.

"Oh?" He asked in a bored tone.

"I was just wondering when you were going to start manning up." I stated, my eyes breathing fire.

"What did you say?" He asked angrily, a hinge of disbelief clinging to his voice.

"You always hide behind innocent people, so why don't you stop being a coward and let my sister go?" I suggested in an oddly nice, yet strict tone of voice.

He chuckled softly, wiping a few tears resulting from the laughter off before it could roll down his cheek. "And what make you think that I will make it so easy?"

I smiled internally as I noticed Gomih getting her war face on; shit just got real!

"I can take care of myself!" Her yell echoed across the planet, making Raphael, from the close proximity, flinch. "I don't need my brother to save me." She yelled as she jumped sleekly out of his arms, kicking him through his stunned face. "And don't ever forget that." She said in a menacing whisper, walking away with her head held high back to the others like a badass.

When she looked back to me, I flashed her a toothy smile and a thumbs-up. She nodded with a smile on her features.

_Kick his butt little bro_. She said in my mind.

_Will do._ I shot back and turned my attention back to Raphael who was sitting on the ground.

I know that Gomih's attack did not do any damage to him; as strong as my sister has become Raphael's power over powered her greatly, but the sheer shock of the sudden escape must have made him fall to the ground.

"I hate all of you." He grumbled as he got up in a standing position.

"The feeling is mutual, ass." Gomih yelled loudly back at him.

"Remember that words monkeys…" He said slowly with a scowl on his features as he turned his body in the direction of my friends. "Because those are the words you are going to engrave on her gravestone as her last!" He yelled in a voice too high to be classified as a man's, and jumped forward towards the group.

Muttering a silent sigh, I teleported in front of him, placing my hand on his firm chest as I held him back.

"Your fight is with me; how many times do I have to repeat this?!" I yelled and fired a blast of energy at him, making him roll wildly through the sky.

He shot his arms and legs around him, making him look like a star as he stabilised himself, stopping his movement through the air.

"Is it just me, or are you stronger?" He asked out of the blue as he floated down, standing on the ground again, his previous anger completely forgotten. This guy should really be tested for the bipolar disorder.

"Keen observation." Was all I said as I made my next move; I kicked hard against the ground, taking a long leap toward my opponent. From my low position I reached down to press my hands against the ground, and then snapped my body straight up, as if I were doing a handstand. I then slammed my heel solidly into his jaw, making him tumble to the side, but not fall.

Annoyed, I used my ki to jump back a short distance before I shot forward again, more force behind my foot as I kicked him again. Raphael was many times larger than me, but nevertheless his body sailed through the air like a pirate ship with a slacked, furled sail, before falling to the ground like a felled tree.

Using the length of my arms, I had been able to increase the power of his kick; but the attack, although very affective, caused some strain on my body as well.

He stood up shakily, wiping blood from his mouth as he rose, giving me chance to recuperate.

"Your strength has increased." He said more to himself than to me. He looked directly into my eyes. "The offer still stands," He said out of nowhere, "want to join my army?"

I chuckled. "Your army is defeated, and so are you if you already offer the _'join me'_ last resort."

He scoffed. "Obviously we will build a new army together." He claimed, ignoring the last section of my sentence.

"Pass." I answered curtly.

"Your loss." He replied equally curtly, with a hint of annoyance in his voice, and leaped forward.

I sprung a few feet backwards, matching his speed as I looked at him with a smug expression. He brought both his hands together in front of his chest and shot a wave of red energy my way. I created a circular shield around my body and jolted inside of it as the wave connected with it, making a harsh screech as it slid on the surface of the shield, sliding off and crashing into a nearby rock.

He attempted another energy wave but it had the same fate. I jumped back a few metres, standing strong on my feet. He stopped running and stared at me with challenge in his eyes.

"This is boring; why don't we turn it up a notch." I suggested; already clenching my fists next to my sides, getting ready to unleash my true power.

He smiled deviously. "As if you read my mind..."

Standing a few metres across from each other, he shot me a daring glare, provoking me to go first. I don't need to be asked twice.

I clenched my teeth as I let out the ferocious velocity of my true powers. I floated a few metres above the planet's surface, trying to prevent to crack the beauty with my power; Magisterial will have my head if I damage his home!

My face was turned towards the sky and my chest was bended upwards as I released every fragment of my dormant powers.

A magnificent silver tornado-like wind aura surfaced from my body and lit up the vertical lengths from my body till the endless sky. I felt the power surge through my muscles and bones, making a pleasured jolt erupt through my entire body, creating light goosebumps on my peach-coloured skin.

My muscles grew two, three times in size as they swelled with pure power. The tingly sensation spread to my closed eyes as they transformed from teal to devious crimson, and then to my scalp as my hair spiked up and changed from brilliant golden to majestic silver.

I relaxed my new bulky muscles and floated down to the surface again, my arms crossed in front of my buff chest. I smiled crookedly as pride filled my body, floundering in my stomach as I felt the new power that surged through my body, stronger than ever.

Raphael let out an impressed whistle. "You sure brought your a-game…" His voice trailed off. "I hope I don't disappoint."

He shot his arms, which resided arrogantly in front of his chest, swiftly to his sides, making a whooshing sound as it sliced through the wind. He sank his head down and up again with closed eyes. A red aura surrounded his body like a flame and he met my gaze, his eyes as blazing as the flame around him.

An agonisingly painful scream burst out his slightly parted lips, growing more intense and louder the wider it opened. A tornado-strong wind emitted from his body and blew over the whole planet. Trees turned askew and stray boulders flew from the ground it was embedded in, circling around his body.

I waited for Raphael's screams to cease, signalling that his power-up was completed; the etiquette of a battle.

After a few more pained seconds, especially for my ears, he was quiet, only soft grunts escaped his closed lips from the power exertion. The random rocks and boulders that gathered around him like flies around a piece of dung; fell to the ground around his body next to his feet with a loud crash, digging deep into the surface of the planet.

"It would seem that we are evenly matched." His lips twitched up in a playful smile.

I scoffed, letting my arms fall to my sides, it bothered me that were standing in the same deviant position.

"In what world are we evenly matched?" I rolled my eyes at the constant arrogance in his oval-shaped face. "I have been stronger than you since the first time I have met you five years ago."

He uncrossed his arms from his chest and got in a casual fighting stance as he chuckled.

"Not quite, little monkey." His voice sounded hoarse. "Combined with your magisterial monkeys you were stronger, but alone…" He paused for dramatic effect. "Not so much."

He scrutinized me up and down. "But you have grown over the years," He looked at me from under his lashes with playfulness in his eyes, "not on the outside though." He joke and waved his hand horizontally in the air just below his hip, signalling that I was short. I rolled my eyes at his childish behaviour.

"I am actually seventeen you know. What I lack in height I make up in intelligence and strength." I boasted.

Sadly your statement is not farfetched; your power rises slightly above my own…" He admitted begrudgingly.

"Admittance is the first step." I mocked him. "Just one thing though… Define slight."

"Don't get cocky boy." All the previous playfulness left his voice. "I still have abilities and techniques that you don't possess, making you vulnerable."

I felt all the ki's of my comrades surround Magisterial the next moment, shifting my thoughts temporarily away from the talking Raphael.

"What did we miss?" Reynard's voice rang excitedly.

"Sorry we arrive now, but we had our hands quite full with his goons." He shot a look of hatred to my nemesis.

"Did you defeat them all?" Piccolo asked, turning his head away from me to Gailo.

Gailo simply nodded, confirming the question.

"Ugh." I heard Luna's irritated sigh clearly, not that she tried to hide it, as her eyes met with me and Raphael's frames… "Less talky, more fighty!" She yelled loudly at me, cupping her hands over her mouth for more volume, her voice vibrating with irritation.

With no more hesitation and Luna's voice still fresh in my thoughts, I jumped forward with a great speed, so quickly that Raphael's eyes didn't even follow my movements. But at the last possible moment he stepped to the side, and kicked me in the stomach.

I spun quickly around under his foot and ducked through his legs, giving me the opportunity to elbow him in the back. He jolted forward about an inch, but extended his foot, using it as a brake to stop his movement.

As quickly as the attack was delivered, he retaliated, with an angry fist he shot with an extended arm my way. Instinctively I bended backward, my upper thigh muscles protesting louder the lower I went; as the maximum length was reached I threw all my weight to my arms and kicked my legs up in Raphael's face, but to my dismay, it scraped by his nose, not making an impact at all.

Muttering a silent curse under my breath I fell on my back and rolled away quickly from his approaching fist. His clenched hand instead connected with the concrete ground, making it crack and send a shockwave through the landscape, reaching me. But I was pleased to see that it worked to my advantage and threw me in the air, making me spin around a few times before gracefully land on my feet, automatically in a fighting stance.

Raphael's fist was still embedded in the ground, him staring absentmindedly at it with a focussed gaze, and it didn't seem like he did any effort to remove it. A sigh escaped his lungs and he slowly removed his hand from its prison, rubbing it a little with his free hand as he turned towards me and brushing the dirt and miniature rocks from it.

"Hand to hand combat with you is useless; your body is as hard as a rock." He exclaimed as he continued to rub his fist for emphasise.

"Giving up already?" I asked a little shocked with raised eyebrows.

He laughed. "Of course not; I'm just shifting strategies."

"Does that strategy involve grovelling and giving up?" I taunted.

"Not quite." He said slowly as he eyed his surroundings.

Not prepared to find out what he was hiding in his sleeves, I teleported to him and punched him through his face, making him shift backward into an unnatural position.

"Sorry for you, but hand to hand combat is kind of my specialty." I started beating him through his face, to the acute force that it made him squirm in pain underneath my fist, as all his attempts to block failed.

A sudden angry force blew me off him and made me spiral in the air before I came to a stop. Momentarily left dizzy from the spin I took a few seconds to steady myself, but unfortunately for me, I took too long and he pulled me down by my hair and threw me to the ground.

Being that the distance was too short I was unable to stop myself from falling and collided face first into a tree, making it uproot and collapse on the ground with me on top of it.

"Treehugger." Raphael said in a mocking tone as he stared at my hands curled around the stump of the giant growth.

Using my magnificent speed I rushed to the base of the once glorious tree and picked it up effortlessly and quickly flung it towards Raphael, who, as I suspected, disintegrated it with one of his blasts.

I appeared behind the tree and delivered a devilish blow to his stomach, making his eyes widen as the punch lifted him higher in the air, where he spun once or twice before hitting the ground.

Just before he could crash I threw magnitudes of miniature blasts his way, making his body jolt in twisted position as each sharp blast stung his body. I noticed that he was a few metres away from my friends, but saw with relief that Magisterial has created a shield around them, protecting them from the aftershocks of our fight.

As a final blow, I resumed the position of my hands on my forehead as I charged the Masenko, the first energy attack I learned that Piccolo taught me, firing it at Raphael.

I cursed internally as I felt him teleport away just before the blast penetrated the place he last stood, making a giant hole shoot through the entire planet.

"What are you doing?! Do you want to blow up this realm too?" Surprised that I didn't let go of my blast, on the contrary I sent more power into it, Shin exclaimed shocked and nervous voice.

"You are going to blow the planet up!" Gailo join the accusing parade and shifted nervously in his spot, looking like he was about ready to jump into the fight and stop whatever I was doing.

"Stop freaking Gale," Reynard calmed the leader of the guard with an annoyed tone. "He always has a plan."

I smiled; Rey always had my back.

I closed my eyes and located Raphael's masked ki instantly. A smile played on my lips as I teleported, Masenko and all, in front of Raphael, throwing the blast right into his face. He wasn't prepared for the attack, so the wave carried him away for miles until the power ran out; letting out a shocked yell as he travelled miles with the beam.

As soon as the blast disappeared Raphael shot up, an orange aura surrounding his body. His gi was torn and above repairing; his top was hanging loosely over his gi-pants, exposing his extremely muscular chest. I flinched as I saw the density of the scars, even worse than in his face, on his abdomen. A few small slices resided just underneath his neck and a long one travelled from his navel past his right hip.

I smiled as I saw that the attack did quite some damage.

Before I knew it he was heading toward me, only the orange flash visible. I tried to jump out of the way, but his arms bind around my middle, and he carried me with mindboggling speed across the landscape before letting me go; making me crash into the ground, actually drilling a tunnel with my head as I sped through the planet's dirt for miles.

As the momentum finally wore off, I was left with a dazed and throbbing head. My whole body felt raw and scratchy from the attack. I cringed as I felt the familiar feeling of warm blood trickle down my forehead, dripping past my nose and flowing into my mouth.

I spat out a few beams of spit, the light was just well enough for me to see that it was entirely red, drenched with my blood. I used the back of my arm to wipe off the pool that gathered together on my closed lips disgustedly.

I placed my left hand on my open gash. I could feel the warmth of my blood on my open palm, feeling the rhythm of my pulse throbbing on it also.

At least it is a shallow gash… I thought with slight relief, the deeper it is, the less blood. For the first time I was grateful for my mother's incisive insist of studying biology, otherwise I would have been frightened by the large amount of oozing blood right now.

I yelped as a fist bore through the ground suddenly, creating a loud crashing sound. The debris and small rocks fell into my open sockets, making me let out an involuntarily loud agonised yell.

"Taking a vacation down here are we?" Raphael's voice echoed in the dense space; he must have plopped his head through the hole, I thought when I felt the warmness of his breath float toward my face.

My hands flew to my sore eyes instantly, rubbing them vigorously as I tried to get all the unwanted particles out, but it only made it hurt more

Feeling his presence so close to me made my stomach turn in disgust. I shot my clenched fist abruptly in the direction I sensed his presence, blindly, but he caught it in his own hand. Not thinking, I shot my other fist towards him too, my actions being led by my vast amount of irritation and pain, but it had the same doomed fate.

I felt him shift my left hand to his left hand, holding both my fists in one hand now.

"Ouch, that looks like it hurts…" He cooed in a voice mothers usually talked to their babies in when they got hurt. My whole body writhed in pain and anguish as he dug his razor sharp fingernails into the small gash in my forehead. I tried to get away from his tortured grasp but the pain paralyzed me.

I let out a cry of utter frustrated and used all my remaining will power to fly up, tearing my hands from his and crashing through the ground-floor, a rock slicing the side of my face as I tore through.

Great, I thought sarcastically, more blood… The gooey red liquid flowed freely down my face, some landing into my right eye, restricting my vision even more severely.

My eyes were half open, allowing me to see only half the landscape. As soon as I was out and standing on my feet a sudden force hit me in my face, originating in the location my vision was limited in, making me stumble back and stepping in the whole. I lost my balance and fell back into it, my back bending as it fell against the edges. I let out a silent scream as the sharp rocks bore into my flesh.

He thrust both his feet on my abdomen, making a few of my ribs crack and allowing the sharp rocks to crawl deeper into my body. Swallowing the pain I curled my hand around his ankle and pulled it down, making his knee bend and collapse face first next to me.

I jumped on his back, sitting on his backside as I placed both my hands on the back of his neck, thrusting his face deeper into the dirt.

With an aggravated growl he suddenly jumped up, with me still on his back, as he broke through the solid rocks to the surface of the planet, me taking the entire blow.

As soon as he landed on the ground, I secured my legs around his middle and let go of the grip I had around his neck, pulling all my weight abruptly backward, making him fall back. I did a handstand before letting go of the grip of my legs, making him fly into the horizon while I stayed perfectly intact on both my arms, still in the handstand.

I pushed more power into my arms as I shot my whole body up and making a summersault before landing on my feet.

As I landed my legs jittered from the pain in my back. I directed a shaky arm to my back and felt around, flinching as I felt one of the rocks. My fingers curled around the uneven corners of the round bottom of the stone and I increased the pressure, gasping and letting out an excruciating yell as I tore it out of my system.

I opened my palm and the slightly heavy rock fell from my hand, bouncing a few times before rolling to a standstill in front of my right foot. It was completely drenched in red thickness. I continued the same motions with the other three that were still embedded in my back, surprised that Raphael sat cross-legged on the grass, looking at me with a pleasured smile on his face; his hand resting on his chin as he relaxed.

I breathed out loudly as all the rocks lay innocently, as if they didn't just impaled my back, on the ground near my feet. I repressed the urge to vomit as I saw the pool of blood that dripped from the stones and flowed together as one entity, but the stench of copper and metal was too overwhelming for my weak system to bear, and I hurled my lungs out as the smell reached my nostrils. I was surprised to see that I was vomiting blood out…

"I love seeing you suffer." Raphael laughed as he got on his feet again, brushing dry pieces of brown grass of his gi-pants, or rather what was left of it.

I took in a deep forced breath through my mouth, not taking the chance of vomiting again, and wiped the blood off my mouth and chin.

The blood I lost and was still losing was sapping my strength, all my will dripped out with it.

"That attack did more damage than I had expected." He smiled smugly. "I didn't expect that sharp Endonite rocks to be down there, you see they are known throughout the galaxy as…"

"I know what they are!" I snapped. "The sharpest rocks in the entire world, sharp enough to pierce through even the hardest skin, and their tips are lined with a poison. The evil brother of Kryptonite…" I recalled the chapter I read about them in one of the books Magisterial gave me to study.

He chuckled. "Yes; it was a pleasant surprise." He laughed loudly, a deep laugh that originated from his stomach. "At this rate you will bleed out in the next hour or so," He paused, staring at me with a whimsical expression on his face, "if the poison doesn't get to you first…" Another laugh burst out of his lips.

I flinched as I realised he was right, and if I die again now, I will be gone forever… Not even the magical Dragonball would be able to save me.

I placed my hand on the large boulder besides me for extra support as I steadied my breathing.

"Just shout when you are ready to fight me again, and in the meanwhile I will fight your friends and the other baboons to pass the time." He said malevolently.

My eyes shot open and my breathing caught in my throat as his words reached my throbbing ears. A sudden fit of adrenaline fuelling my movement I lunged forward, just to be caught off in the middle by Gotchi.

"You said you would help us!" Dad yelled out panicky at my doppelganger, with the empty vial I recognised as the holder for the healing potions, in his hand.

I closed my eyes and cursed under my breath. Really Dad, you have to be the nice guy right now?!

Gotchi laughed. "What part of _'evil Gohan'_ was unclear to you, Dad?" He asked while placing his leg on my left arm.

My mouth fell open in agony and I let out an agonised scream as my left arm was snapped under his foot. "Nothing personal, but there is just room for one Gohan in this universe..." He bent towards me, whispering the words more menacingly.

I managed a small smile though the agony. "I couldn't agree more." I chocked out and coughed out blood as soon as my sentence was finished, making Gotchi laugh again. Damn poison in my system…

"And that is me!" I yelled hoarsely and aimed my remaining right hand to his head, firing a blast that held all my remaining energy. As the smoke cleared only his body form the neck down was still there, his head disintegrated under my blast. The remainder of his body fell on the ground next to me, lying sloppily on the grass as blood gushed out of his headless neck.

"Idiot let his guard down." Raphael cursed Gotchi under his breath with an angry scowl on his face. He extended his arm towards my replica and fired a blast his way, disintegrating the rest of his body. Nothing was left of him now…

"You never give up, do you?" Raphael's fake smile turned to me.

I shot him a death stare, not finding enough energy to form words.

He laughed at me. "That took everything you had, didn't it?" He stared at me with amusement in his face, awaiting an answer.

He raised an eyebrow at my silence. "What happened to the over-talkative warrior? He can't be silent, can he?" He mocked with a genuine smile on his lips. "My, oh my, how good it feels to be me right now." He applauded himself.

"Drop… dead…" I spat out, flinching as each word was said.

He chuckled. "Why do I get the feeling that it is going to be you instead of me that is going to drop dead, oh wait," He laughed loudly, "you are already dropped, now we just have to work on the _'dead'_ part…" He was smiling all the way.

"N… never." I barely whispered. My insides were burning, stunning me.

"You are defeated…" He breathed out.

"Not yet…" I frowned as I heard Piccolo's voice in front of me, his ki too. "If you want to kill the kid you are going to have to go through me. " He stated heroically.

"And me." Dad's voice appeared next to Piccolo.

"And me." Gomih and Trunks stated simultaneously next to Dad.

"Us too asshole." Luna spoke for the entire guard.

"You will not harm our friend and comrade any further." Shin's voice rang; Magisterial, Kibito and Grand Supreme Kai's ki were all located next to him.

Someone snapped their fingers. "Uh huh, you are in quite a dilemma now Ralphy." Reynard said in a strange accent I didn't recognise.

"What the hell; count me in." Vegeta spoke up, making Dad laugh.

They were all standing in a protective stance in front of me; Gomih kneeled down next to me, cringing as she noticed she sat in my blood; caressing my hair that turned black, I couldn't hold my fourth transformation any longer.

"We got this one bro." She whispered and planted a peck on my cheek.

"Please… don't…" I whispered almost inaudibly; feeling like a weak coward: the protector has become the protectee…"

She scoffed. "Just for once you don't have to be the hero alone; let us take care of you for once."

Not having any more energy to protest, I fell silent, making Gomih smile.

"Now that is a good boy." She playfully scratched my neck, acting as if I were a dog and grimaced as she looked at the blood on her finger. "You sure are messed up…" She breathed; her voice cracking.

"And that is where I come in!" Kiana's friendly innocent voice chirped happily.

"Don't you dare!" Raphael yelled dramatically and started to approach the healer, but to my surprise a clunking noise rang and he fell to the ground.

Shin, Magisterial and Grand Supreme Kai stood in the front with their hands in front of their bodies as they created a barrier around me and Kiana.

Kiana placed her cool hands on my bare chest and I flinched, as did she as she looked over all my wounds.

"This is going to take a while to heal…" Her voice trailed off and she looked over her shoulder at Magisterial. "How long can you keep that barrier sir?" She asked politely in her high voice.

"Actually not that long…" His voice trailed off grimly as he stared at Raphael who was hitting and attacking the barrier with all his might. "His intense evil power neutralizes our pure magic very quickly." He explained.

"Just start already Kiana!" Luna yelled at the healer who was hesitant. "At least heal the most fatal wounds."

Kiana took a deep breath as she shook Luna's insult off. "It doesn't work that way Luna, but I can at least try." Her positive spirit made me optimistic.

Her eyes closed and a peculiar energy started to emit from her petite frame as she utilized her healing abilities. Her hair raised above her head as she pushed more power into my body.

I felt a tingly sensation where she touched me as my bones, burns and gashes started healing.

"Move over." Kibito's stern voice ordered my sister, who still sat protectively at my side; she rose begrudgingly, eyeing Kibito with suspicion.

He kneeled opposite Kiana and placed his rough hands on the side of my abdomen. "Four hands are better than two." He whispered as he noticed her confused expression.

I felt the bones in my ribs reconnect and resume their usual positions. The holes I my back closed and the gash in my forehead disappeared. The blood returned in my body and my cheeks flushed red as circulation returned.

"Are you done?" Shin's strained voice yelled at the two healers.

"Not yet!" Kibito shot back.

"We can't keep it any longer!" He breathed defeated. "And the others are getting slaughtered out there trying to keep him away."

The sound of glass shattering rang though the shield as Raphael finally broke through, his eyes red with anger.

"It is alright guys." I reassured my two heroes and jumped on my feet. I flinched as I felt the pain of my broken arm vibrating though my entire body as I tried to lift it.

"What have you done?!" Raphael screeched to Kibito and Kiana. "I am going to kill you!" A crater formed under his feet as he unleashed more power I didn't know he had.

"Go!" I yelled at my two comrades. "The others need you more than I do at the moment." They nodded and walked to the others who lay unconscious, scattered across the grass behind me.

"I am done with you!" He yelled loudly, staring me down with his bloodshot eyes. "You have pushed me one too far!"

He brought both his hands together as he resumed the stance of an energy blast attack. "Let's see you handle this with one arm!" He yelled and drowned in a fit of maniacal laughter.

"I have one arm, and that is all I need!" I yelled, more as a motivation to myself as for anyone else.

A silver aura surrounded me like a whirlwind as I transformed directly into my Super Saiyan four form; my right uninjured arm clenched in a stance as my damaged left arm hung loosely from my side, I hunched a bit to the left in pain.

I created a golden shield around all my exhausted friends behind me, knowing that they wouldn't survive the aftershocks of the two massive waves when they connected.

"Ka….." I started chanting, pulling only my one arm back.

"Me…." I retracted my arm back further, it resided next to my right hip now, its usual location when I did this attack. Lightning started to thunder slightly around my arm as I shot all my power towards my right hand.

"Ha…." The aura around my body enlarged three times in size, engulfing the whole area around me.

"Me…." The lightning playing around on my body was wilder than ever before; the energy that emitted from my hand lifted my bangs up, making them levitate with my other straight hair above my head. I hesitated, stretching the syllable longer as what it really should be as I pushed more power in.

"HAAAAA!" I let go of all the power I gathered in my palm, loosing myself in the frenzy of power that surged through my left upper limb.

He also released his attack, at exactly the same time I did. My blue Kamehameha and his red, whatever his attack was called, sped towards each other like estranged lovers.

I held my arm steady as the energy flowed freely and without real control out of my body. They collided in the exact centre of the landscape, evenly matched. I clenched my teeth as the strain settled in my right arm, feeling the pain that went with the attack which was actually meant for two arms.

Both of us shot more power into our waves, making the energy ball in the middle trice as big, enlarging the crater greatly and making debris scatter all around the planet. I was relieved that my friends were safely behind me in the shield I created for them, motivating me not to mess up.

The whole planet started to shake and gave in at some points.

He pushed more energy in, as did I, but it didn't quite match his; making it look like his gulf was eating my gulf. The intense energy of his wave started pushed me back a bit, making me skid a few metres back, without bending my knees; my feet creating ditches in the ground where I skidded.

I swallowed my pain and discomfort I felt in my entire body and matched the current power he was delivering, our blasts were equal again.

"It has been fun Gohan, but unfortunately this has to end!" He yelled and pushed all the power he had left in the blast, over powering me, and due to my injuries, I couldn't match his tremendous power. I growled an agonised growl through clenched teeth as I skidded back even further. His energy flew over my blast and engulfed it more and more, almost completely taking it over.

I skidded back more, driven by the strong energy wind, until I stopped in front of the shield, the back of my feet pushing against it.

"Gohan let go of the shield!" Piccolo yelled loudly. "We will be alright, use the power you put in this thing in your blast. If my calculations are correct, it will be enough to match him again."

My eyes widened in horror and I used all the muscles in my upper thighs to take two steps forward. "I can't!" I yelled horrified and strained. "I won't! You guys mean too much for me."

"We can be wished back!" Gomih reasoned in a soft voice.

"You can't! You are already dead!"

She sighed. "Sacrifices have to be made."

"NOOOO!" I yelled and opened the vault to my hidden powers, releasing every fragment that was inside it, until it was emptied. I walked forward with the blast in my one hand, pushing the power at a higher frequency in.

My wave slowly started to eat up and swallow his red wave, my blue Kamehameha being the prominent colour in the big ball now.

"Never again you will hurt anyone… NEVER!" I yelled and my mouth opened broadly as an agonised scream escaped my lungs as I pushed everything I had and more into my wave, walking forward with it again.

"What, no!" Raphael yelled panicky. "STOP!"

My wave completely engulfed his wave and consumed his entire body. His screams got lost in the immense power surrounding every fragment of his entity.

I let go of the blast, my energy having completely run out. My arm felt numb and I breathed loudly as I stared down at the area Raphael had just been alive in. I could see a giant ditch spreading through the entire planet from my aerial view.

Seeing nothing in the space he stood before, I reverted back to my base form. Too weak to keep levitating in the sky, I started plummeting towards the ground, nearly unconscious as I fell like a leaf from the sky.

I hit the ground with a loud thud, but I barely felt it, my whole body was numb with fatigue. I couldn't stop laughing and smiling as I stared up at the sky, knowing that those skies would never see the likes of the destroyer of worlds ever again!

My smile grew even broader when Reynard poked his head above mine, a toothy smile on his goofy face.

"Get me some healing potions!" He ordered someone next to him who I couldn't see. Rey looked me over from top to bottom. "A lot…" His voice trailed off.

My friends and family continued to shower me with compliments as Reynard poured the fruity flavoured potions down my throat until I felt normal again.

"I think five healing potions are enough Rey." Magisterial laughed.

"But his energy is not completely back yet." He argued with his sensei.

"It is enough for him to get by; all his bones and wounds are healed, that is more than enough." He reasoned calmly to the irrational Rey. "He can rest like a normal person in bed the next couple of days to recuperate fully."

"That actually sounds great Rey." I reassured him; my muscles agreeing that all they need right now is a cold shower and a soft bed…

Rey nodded begrudgingly after hearing my statement. "Fine…" He helped me up to my feet.

"You are a good friend." I hugged him and he hugged back.

"Always here for you man, you know that." Tears started to form in his eyes as he pulled back.

I frowned at Rey, who usually never wore his emotions on his sleeves, except on scary or sad movies about dogs dying.

"What's the matter buddy?" I asked worriedly.

He sniffed loudly. "I thought I was going to lose you, and feeling your body under my hands just feels too good to be true." He confessed and threw his arms around my body as he gave me another long bear hug.

"I am not going anywhere." I smiled warmly at him, making his lips twitch in a genuine smile through the tears.

"Good." He said and tousled my hair.

"We should head out to Otherworld." Gailo suggested. "Everyone is extremely worried, especially Draco."

I smiled at the thought of seeing all my other friends and family again… Oeh I am going to prank Draco right now… I thought deviously, my brain racing with plans on what evil things I can do to him.

I frowned as I heard a severe fit of coughs that originated from the ditch my powerful wave created earlier.

Leaving my friends who were still chatting and laughing merrily behind me, I walked slowly towards the sounds.

I stopped, hearing that the coughs coming from underneath the ground, but I felt not ki or life force at this spot, puzzling me.

"Gohan, what are you doing out there?" Gomih's worried voice rang toward me.

"I'll be there in a minute." I shouted back, getting on my knees and starting to brush the sand away.

A hand suddenly rose from the dirt, curly tightly around my wrist. I flinched and my eyes widened as Raphael's bloody head rose from the ground.

"You get a happy ending but I don't?" He said in a disbelieved tone.

I tried yanking my arm away, but that just made him dig his sharp fingernails into my flesh.

"I don't think so…" His voice was hoarse with strain.

"Gohan!" Reynard's frightened yell echoed across the planet as he saw Raphael's head pop out of the sand. "Guys… "

The world around me; the canopy of luscious branches, the bright summer sky, Reynard running towards me… It all faded to black...

**********************

BAHAHAHAHA! So that was the last chapter of Gohan: The Untold Story, but don't fret my dearest, I will write an epilogue too, so you can have a kind of idea of what is happening…

Until next time!


	28. Epilogue: The Vivid Dream

_**Hey there epic people of the world! **_

_**Time for the final instalment of my story! **_

_**I got quite a number of new subscribers and followers, so thank you to you all! **_

_**Thank you Vegetaslave87, Wow, Gohandominates, Vienne, Ky111 (will surely put a note when I publish the new story, keep your eyes peeled!), unwanted half-Saiyan demon, dp3of5, **__** (you naughty person! XD) for your wonderful reviews! (Rawr, where are you?! For the first time ever, you are not on my list! Are you alive? *agonised scream* Don't tell me those cannibals have finally eaten you!) **_

_**Hope you enjoy the last chapter! **_

**EPILOGUE: THE VIVID DREAM**

I was vaguely aware of being carried through a vast amount of space, as the feeling of being teleported engulfed my entire being. I opened my eyes slowly, and I saw white flashes of light splashing playfully around me in every corner of the portal, looking like they dances due to the high speed I was moving.

I felt a faint pressure on my arm, and my head fell down towards it, my neck unable to support my heavy head; tilting down mushily like a new born baby's head towards the warm pressure-feeling over my wrist area.

A slender hand was curled around it tightly, the bony fingers staring, all smiles, back at me, as if saying: "Just try to escape, we dare you." A cold shiver ran down my spine. Nasty…

Defying the silent dare the fingers were shooting my way, I tugged my restrained hand with all my weak might, trying to free it from its prison, but my drained strength uttered my attempt completely useless.

A chuckle vibrated from Raphael's body over to me, making me shake slightly in unison with him. "Where are you taking me?" My voice was horse with thirst.

He laughed wildly. "Who ever thought that you would be asking me that after all that had happened?" He turned his whimsical blue and orange eyes to me, probably wanting an answer. I scoffed, answering him with a cold silence.

"We are heading to the point of no return…" His voice sounded ghost-like, very mysterious.

"What does that mean?" I asked annoyed, irritated by his constant cryptic nature.

"Exactly what it sounds like; a place you can enter but never come out of," He smiled at me, uttering a soft snicker as his eyes met my confused ones, "alive…" He continued after his overly dramatic pause.

He pointed his free hand to my halo. "And since you are already dead…" He sighed after elongating the word 'dead', mockingly. "Well, let's just say that you will have a permanent residence in a place which makes hell look like the Garden of Eden."

"Nothing you say frightens me." I shot back full of determination. "I am sure that I will find some way to get out, and besides, Magisterial and the others will find me."

He chuckled. "I am glad that you have so much faith boy; just so sad that that will be the first admirable trait to be ripped out of your being."

"Whatever." I answered toughly, not wanting him to detect the hint of stress I was feeling inside.

My body started to feel dizzy and nauseated, not accustomed to the large distance I was travelling.

Raphael grunted annoyed. "If only you hadn't drained all my power in that last stupid attempt in taking my life, we would have been there already." He slapped me through my face out of the blue, making a sharp sting radiate on my cheek, throbbing as all the blood rushed to it.

Completely drained, I was forced to take the blow without retaliation; I just had the option of lying defencelessly like a little wimp from his grasp, and I was acing that with flying colours! I thought with grim despair.

I took in a happy deep breath, and I could hear his lips twitch into a broad smile. "Let's just call this a little sneak preview of what is to come." Another happy sigh; "Doesn't it feel wondrous?" He sounded like a little kid who got a letter from Santa Claus.

I was left momentarily confused about what he just said, feeling nothing out of place, but I got the shock of my life as the feeling of complete and utter dread hit me like a ton of bricks.

I shivered internally as I felt the ki of doom and despair, located exactly in the direction we were travelling towards at the speed of light, radiating like a carnivores wild beast, ready to devour anything and everything that came in its sight.

I felt the darkness starting to poke its stubby paws at my weak body, trying to get its bony hands around me as it tried to engulf my entire being.

I let out an annoyed shriek and shook my head wildly from side to side as the darkness started to poke through my thoughts.

"Darkness, Gohan; Gohan, Darkness…" Raphael laughed as he playfully introduced me to the ghastly dread.

I smelled the stench of death's breath breathing down my neck as it closed in for my life.

So_ this_ is how I die?

I chuckled internally. Kind of anti-climactic for a warrior to die at the hands of an unseen force, his fists aching in suspense to attack, but rendered immobile by said force, don't you think?

My eyes shot wide as a realization hit me: if I die _now_, it will be as if I never had existed… I would disappear into thin air of this abyss. After everything, I will cease to be, forever…

The darkness closed in and I felt Raphael's frame shake as he laughed. "Almost there…" He breathed under his breath to himself.

I let go of any defence, not matter how weak, I had and gave myself over to the darkness. All faith and hope gone, like the darkness had devoured it…

I was surrendering…

_Giving up, already?_ A quirky pre-adolescent voice rang cheerily through my thoughts. _That's not the Gohan I know, where is that Saiyan fighting spirit?_

_Dying with me._ I shot back weakly, not having enough strength to focus on the familiarity of the voice and try to decipher who it belonged to.

He laughed. _Stop being such a drama queen; you are not dying_. He scolded playfully. _You have stared into death's cold and relentless eyes numerous times before, and actually was its victim twice…_ He scoffed softly. _Would have thought that you would have been able to recognise it by now… _His voice trailed off, as if he were deep in thought.

_I am not retarded_! I shot back offended. _I know what death feels like, and this feeling is millions of times worse!_ I shivered as the feeling still surrounded every fragment of my being.

He sighed. _I know; beyond this portal lays a fate worse than death… _

_How would you know?_ I shot back sceptically, regaining some of my will-power. _Why should I trust you, I don't even know who the hell you are! _

He laughed a bitter, dry laugh, a laugh I would imagine a corpse would have. _And here I thought that you would recognise me by the sound of my voice… And I know this, because I am in it, and it is a fate I would not even wish on the most evil of villains…_ He took a determined breath. _And I will not allow you to become a part of this; even if it means the death of me._ Another dry laugh; _Again…_

His sudden yell bounced around in my skull, vibrating angrily in the inner mechanisms of my mind.

A strange and unfamiliar power emitted from his presence and surrounded my being, chasing the darkness away.

"What the…" Raphael started as a purple string of light engulfed him too.

And before I knew it, we were travelling backwards, faster than the speed of light.

The flashes of light beams moved backwards, so quickly that I had to close my eyes to prevent a headache. The speed lessened and I opened my eyes, frowning when I saw that I was on Magisterial's realm again.

I watched from a third-person's view how I battled Raphael backwards; starting where we both pushed all the power we had into our separate finishing wave-attacks, and ending where were talking pre-battle smack about each other.

Me and Kid Buu's battle flashed past me, followed by the whole episode where Gomih and I were struggling through Super Buu's insides, after I ripped my heart out; but from this speed, it looked like I was pushing my heart back into my chest.

Gotchi, Buu; all the major fights flashed before me, until lean Buu shifted into fat Buu and Gotchi disappeared; I was back on earth, just before it was destroyed…

Gomih's death reversed and her neck snapped back to its normal angle, looking from the reversed view like Raphael was unsnapping her neck.

All my allies teamed up to fight Raphael's army, and the entire scene rewinded back to Capsule Corp, where I greeted Mom and my other friends for the first time in six years, and then back to Dad, Gomih, Piccolo, and basically the entire Z-fighter-gang, seeing through my Saiyaman alias; finding out who truly hid under the odd and extravagant garments.

I flew backwards to the wasteland near Babidi's ship, fighting Raphael for the first time in the four years I have seen him last, almost losing – fighting with Dabura – following Spopovich and Yamu – landing back on the tournament ring, unconscious from the energy drain - fighting in the tournament as Saiyaman – entering the tournament - planning strategies on how to defeat the terrible Buu and Babidi with Kibito and Shin on Magisterial's realm – cleaning the restrooms in otherworld in my embarrassing French maid's outfit - meeting Raphael for the first time ever – starting training under Magisterial in his realm – meeting Draco after I was whisked into another detention after my death – dying…

And finally the blurs of travelling faster than time itself, ceased, and paused at the battle with Cell. I was staring through my own eyes, into Cell's pain glare as he hovered in the sky with only half his body still intact; purple blood gushing from his severed limbs.

My eyes widened as I felt a soft breeze making my spiked-up hair slightly sway within it. I blinked my eyes rapidly, utter confusion printed on my baffled face.

I lifted my hand towards my face slowly, staring intently at my palm.

"What just happened…?" I whispered under my breath confusedly as I clenched and unclenched my fists, feeling the power of my second Saiyan transformation radiating more intensely as each small movement was made.

_Do it right this time…_ The same voice as before whispered in my mind; the worlds in the strangely short sentence circling like a whirlwind through my thoughts and then fading away to nothing, as if it were never even there…

"What do you mean?" I yelled after the voice with both my fists still clenched, seeking answers.

"Gohan!" My dad's yell made me spin around, looking him right in his loving brown seeing organs, bafflement in my big eyes. I stared confused at all the other pairs of eyes belonging to the Z-warriors, staring at me with a mixture of fright and awe in their gazes.

"Dad?" I couldn't hide the surprise in my voice; his features looked much younger than he had looked only a few moments ago on Magisterial's realm; all the barely visible wrinkles, gone with the wind...

"You got to take Cell down right now, before he regenerates!" He instructed sternly; ignoring my surprised statement.

I fazed to them, my speed so fast that they flinched as I appeared suddenly in front of them. A feeling of Déjà Vu settled in my stomach.

I crossed my arms across my chest and started laughing uncontrollably, a laugh that originated from the deepest corner of my belly. My arms shifted to my stomach as I kicked my feet through the sky violently, looking as if I were riding an invisible bicycle.

My laughs abruptly stopped as soon as it had started and I wiped the tears resulting from the unsuspecting fists of laughter, from the corners of my eyes. I let out a few deep heaves, exhausted from all the laughing, and floated down to them.

"What happened to your hair buddy?" My lips were twisted into a broad smile as I rubbed Krillen's bald head, my fingers making a squeaking sound as it slid off the slick surface of his waxed head.

"Gohan?" My bald friend said out slowly in a worried voice.

I turned around and started laughing again. "This must be the most vivid dream I have ever had." I gasped out through the laughs and pointed at Vegeta's confused glare, complete with a raised eyebrow.

"You should see your faces!" I squeaked out in a high pitched voice, slapping my hand against my upper leg as the fits continued; I just couldn't stop myself.

"He has lost it Kakarot." Vegeta whispered in the direction of my father, without tearing his gaze away from my excitable figure, bouncing around like a hyperactive toddler around the pedestal-like cliff; examining every element of my dream, even sniffing rocks!

"Gohan, this is not funny." Piccolo's deep death glare penetrated my eyes. "Cell is almost fully regenerated!" His voice was filled with panic.

I turned my gaze toward my former green mentor, letting the rock I was just sniffing slide out of my palm and fall to the ground, rolling a few centimetres from my feet.

I snorted. "This is _my_ dream Piccolo; I think I will turn him into a unicorn…" I placed my two forefingers on the temple of my forehead; squinting my eyes as I tried to use the power of dreams to transform him in the most majestic creature ever known to man.

I clicked my tongue at Cell when he didn't transform. "Who am I kidding, what is more majestic than an oversized ugly grasshopper whose power consists out of all of you?!" I exclaimed rhetorically with my hands flying around my head wildly as I talked.

"Son, are you alright?" All the panic fled from my father's voice and was replaced with worry. The ground crunched under his feet as he walked over to me. He placed his hands on my shoulders, getting down to my level.

He took one hand away and placed it on my forehead, using it to tilt my head a little up and then a little down. I frowned, his hand felt so warm and… Real? _How is that even possible?_ I questioned myself. I am heading towards that awful ki with Raphael, reliving my most cherished and hated memories… My life flashing before my eyes if you will… Why does it feel so… so, authentic?

A more confused expression flooded my dad's features. "He doesn't have a concussion." He blinked his eyes rapidly a few times, trying to get his thoughts in order.

"How can you possibly know that, you are not a doctor?" Vegeta retorted negatively.

"Eyes." Dad answered curtly and continued to examine me; his fingers probing along my chest and head, me flinching with each poke on my raw flesh.

I broke free from his grasp. "This isn't a dream…" I said to myself. "Pain isn't this intense and real in dreams…"

Dad shook his head slowly with a deep frown on his face. "Why on earth would you think that you were dreaming?"

"But what about Raphael and Buu and…" I stopped speaking when everyone stared at me with concerned expressions.

"Son, what are you talking about? Who are those people?" Dad asked softly, trying not to alarm me.

I felt dizzy and my heart sank deeper into my chest. "Wait; I never died?" The words were barely audible.

"Bro, are you hearing yourself; Cell is the one who has come the closest to death in this battle, not you." Krillen made his voice heard.

"Goku, he is not well." Piccolo threw his turban and cape to the ground, it was weighted of course, and it created a heavy cloud of dust around the garments. "I will occupy him, take Gohan to Dende." It wasn't a question.

"Reunion is over Gohan." I flinched at Cell who just appeared out of nowhere, in better shape than ever.

I frowned, I_ have_ lived through this before; that couldn't just have been a dream; I hesitated, _could it? _

I thought back to the memories, but they felt more faint and fuzzier the more time went by, as if they were slowly starting to disappear… Fade into nothing…

"Piccolo you are not doing anything." I walked past him, regaining my composure, and stared directly into Cell's malevolent eyes.

Maybe I just had a vision of the future; and there is no way in hell I am going to let it turn out that disastrous way!

I readied myself for a Kamehameha wave, but I stopped as I remembered something. "Eighteen…" I whispered under my breath; if I kill Cell now, she will be killed with him.

Cell lunged forward, his fist already clenched and extended. My friends scattered into random directions as they realized the fight just shifted to this spot; but Piccolo wavered, he looked at me with concern in his expression, I rolled my eyes at that and pointed a finger in the direction the other's rushed into, indirectly ordering him to do the same.

Cell's fist collided with my cheek and made me shift to the side, not losing my balance, just shifting, exactly like I remember it happening six years ago… _Stop it Gohan,_ I scolded myself; _that was just a dream, a dream that coincidentally accurately matches everything that is happening right now; exactly like it did in there…_

"That actually stung a bit." I admitted as I came upright again, my neck making a clicking noise as I rose.

"You…" He breathed angrily in his gruff voice as he got into a flawless stance, a mixture of all my friend's unique styles.

I dodged all his other attempts effortlessly. He was no match for my speed. All his efforts were in vain.

I kicked Cell across his face and punched him in the stomach in one swift movement. Cell doubled over and clutched his stomach in pain. He fell to the ground, coughing up blood. I smiled, seeing Cell like this made me happy; just like it did in my dream...

He started to get sick and regurgitated 18; her petite body sliding like a newborn baby seal onto the rock hard ground.

His whole body started to shake as he shrunk down to his second state again.

He was not in his perfect state anymore… _again._

"Not this time, giant grasshopper." I managed my sincerest smile at my foe before blasting him to oblivion, using only my right hand. His whole body was disintegrated in a matter of seconds.

I extended my ki-barrier, trying to sense if there were any other fragment, no matter how tiny, left of the creature, remembering that he could regenerate if only a single cell was left of his body. I smiled when I felt that his force was completely oblivirated.

I extended my hand towards Eighteen's wet and slimy body, using the heat of my ki to get her dry.

I picked her petite frame up effortlessly in my arms, her tall arms and legs hanging over my child-like limbs.

I sped towards Krillen with a big smile on my face as I saw a slight blush form on his cheeks when his eyes laid upon his the blond beauty that was the android.

"Why don't you take her?" I suggested with a wink, having to use all the self control I had to keep myself from bursting into laughter.

Krillen shrugged indifferently, but there was not hiding his tomato-red face. "I can probably take her off your hands." He said casually, acting as if he really didn't want to do it.

"Don't worry; sounds like you aren't really keen on it… I understand; she was evil and all." I teased. "I am sure Yamcha wouldn't mind…"

"No!" He yelled, making me flinch. "I mean, it is no big deal, I guess this can qualify as my good deep of the day." He gave me the evil-eye as he took Eighteen out of my arms, and cradled in his.

All my friends huddled closer together as they floated to each other; their mouths open in stunned disbelief as they stared me up and down.

"And that is how you do it!" I did a little dramatic pose, I remember Saiyaman having. I blinked my eyes rapidly; where did that just come from?

"What?" I got out of my pose and stared at them with a frown on my face. "Something in my teeth?"

"You just took out Cell," Piccolo snapped his fingers, "just like that."

I frowned. "Why do you sound surprised?" I asked a little offended. "You sensed my power; you should have known what I am capable of."

"Where does all your power come from?" Wow, that must have been the first time Vegeta asked me a question he actually wanted an answer to. "You unleashed all that energy, and yet you don't seem exhausted at all." He noted as he scrutinized my expression.

"That took a little out of me," I answered truthfully, "but noting a Saiyan who always ate his green vegetables can't handle."

"And you thought he couldn't do it." Dad placed his hands on his hips arrogantly as he stared at Piccolo with a smug smile on his lips.

"Excuse me for actually being concerned about the kid's wellbeing." Piccolo retorted overly dramatic. "Unlike his deadbeat Dad..." His voice was full of venom and his eyes spat fire.

Dad noticeably flinched and a spark lit up in his ebony eyes.

"Whoa, guys…" I stood between my father and my first mentor. "I am fine." I said in a happy voice and did a few handstands in the air. "See?" Not one of them cracked a smile and headed more threatingly towards each other.

I placed an arm on each of their chests. "Cut Dad a little slack mister Piccolo." I said in a stern voice. "If he didn't send me in the battlefield, the whole planet, potentially the whole universe would have been executed!"

Piccolo's glare softened a bit, but not completely.

"I give you permission to act like little kids if I were killed, but I am not, so there is no reason to be so childish." I rolled my eyes when they still didn't agree.

"Remember who is strong enough to whip both your skinny assess while drinking a cup of tea." My voice trailed off threatingly. "Don't make me…"

"Fine." Dad agreed after he shot a fleeting look my way, extending his open palm towards Piccolo for a shake.

"Piccolo…" I said slowly, he rolled his eyes and gave Dad's hand a firm shake.

"No harm." He said begrudgingly.

"Great!" I exclaimed happily and put my arms around each of their shoulders, gathering them in a three-person hug. Piccolo grunted annoyed before he escaped my grasp.

"Now let's get to wishing!" I stated merrily and blasted off in the direction of the lookout; creating a huge gap between me and my friends, one that they would never be able to fill. I just wanted a few seconds to myself, trying to make sense of recent events.

_That_ wasn't a dream. I decided after a few minutes of pondering, hundred percent sure; it was _too _real.

I braked abruptly in the sky, looking around me to make sure that no spectators were near me. I concentrated my ki and tried to use instantaneous movement to teleport to the lookout, but no matter how much I focussed, I stayed in one spot, not moving an inch…

"Dammit…" I whispered under my breath. It was real! It had to be…

The sentence the familiar voice spoke still fresh in my mind.

"_Do it right this time…"_

...  


_Whoooooooooooop! Yay! __**Gohan: The untold story**__ is officially complete! I want to thank each and every one of, you, readers who inspired me to continue and complete it! (Oeh, what do you guys think is happening right now…?)_

_Now you really have to review! _

_1. Which chapter was your favourite? _

_2. Which scene was your favourite? _

_3. Who was your favourite character? _

_4. Least favourite character? _

_5. Favourite bad guy? _

_Epic stats about this story: _

_* All and all this story is 360 pages long (damn) and consists of just over 175 000 words! _

_* It took me 5 and a half months to write this story! _

_* It has been viewed 23503 times so far! _

_Top 10 countries who view the story (descending order) [Give a shout out in the review box if you spot your country! :D] _

_1. United States _

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_6. Denmark _

_7. Niue-Zeeland _

_8. India _

_9. France_

_10. Brazil_

_Okay, I'm out of things to say, so see you soon (I'm planning on posting the first chapter to the sequel in this week! [Yes, it happens that fast!]) _

_Hope you have an awesome day/evening (depending on what time you are reading this! :D)_

_I love you all! _

_PEACE! _

_-Wilmi _


	29. Hey

Hey guys! New story: **Second Chances**, is published! Go check my profile out or follow the link: s/8687539/1/Second-Chances


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